Not helpless anymore

May was born into a poor family in an Asian country. ‘Only the boys went to school,’ she says.

When she was 21, May (pictured) got married. ‘The first few years were ok, but then things got worse and worse,’ she says. May was treated badly, and eventually her husband fell into debt with some criminal gangs. He was killed and the gangs came looking for May. Her life was in danger, so she left everything she knew and fled for her life.

‘I was crying so much, the tears were washing my face,’ says May. ‘I felt like the sky was falling down on me. It was like my life had collapsed.’

May fled from Asia in fear of her life. It was then that she fell into the hands of traffickers. (Photo: Tom Price/Ella’s)

From one danger to another

In a desperate attempt to escape, May paid someone to get her out of the country. She was promised safe passage and work, but was trafficked to the UK where she was trapped in sexual exploitation.

‘I can’t talk about it – there was nothing good in those years,’ says May. ‘It was like I was shut out of the world. I could go nowhere, call no one for help. I was helpless. I felt so scared.’

Eventually, May found a chance to escape. ‘In the beginning, I was watched all the time, never left alone,’ she says. ‘But after a while, they relaxed off a little bit thinking we wouldn’t try to escape. I finally had a chance to run away.'

“It was like I was shut out of the world.”

A way forward

May spent some time living on the streets, but eventually found help. She moved into one of our safe houses in June 2021.

May’s support worker at Ella’s helped her to take English lessons, access the crucial benefits, rights and services such as healthcare that she’s entitled to, build life skills and make community connections. We also supported May to find safe work, one of her biggest goals.

May recently reached the point where she was ready to move out of the safe house. We helped her find suitable onward housing, and will continue to work with her for a while longer through our Community and Resettlement Service.

‘The people at Ella’s are really good to me. Without this help, I think I would have ended up back on the streets – I can’t imagine what would have happened,’ says May, pictured below with support worker Amelia.

‘In the past, I was alone and helpless. But now I know what I need to know about, to live safely. It is really important that women like me are supported by organisations like Ella’s. Otherwise, it’s hard to describe, but we don’t have the resources to build a good life. For me, that’s why Ella’s has been so important. I don’t feel helpless any more.’

We are committed to being there for women like May. Please, join us if you can.

May (left) pictured with Amelia, her support worker at Ella’s. (Photo: Tom Price/Ella’s)