Sara's story

Sara was a university student in Albania where she studied languages, including English. “I've always loved studying. I've loved books. I've loved to learn about different cultures, languages were a way for me to be closer to different cultures and to be able to express myself the way I wanted to. So books were something that I always enjoyed, and they were like my best friend, because I didn't have anyone, just myself at that time."

“Then things went a certain way - a bad way, I tried to love someone.  I trusted someone and it came to a point that I decided to follow him and to build our life together. But then things went completely wrong. I trusted the wrong person. I believed in the wrong person and that person exploited me.

Sara met a man who went on to exploit her after he first groomed her into thinking they were in a loving relationship. He told her what she wanted to hear and initially she believed him. He wasn’t Albanian so at first he took her to his country but they only stayed there for a few days. They were very happy together during that time. Then he suggested they make a trip to another country to meet some of his friends and have a holiday before coming back to start a new life together.

‘Of course I accepted it because, I trusted him and we went there to the second country. We didn't have too many clothes with us, just my documents and his documents which he had because I didn't know how to book. I never flew before, so he took care of everything.”

When they arrived two of his friends were waiting for them at the airport. From there they went straight out together to a nightclub where they danced and drank all night. Sara was so happy to feel free, young and in love but then things took a turn for the worse.

“I don't remember what happened because I was so drunk. I remember when I woke up. I was raped by them. They were all naked. I was covered in bruises. It was very traumatic for me.”

Next Sara was forced into a big lorry with guns at her head and threatened that if she made any noise they would shoot her. After the journey she found herself in a house with no idea where she was. Here she was held on her own and forced to have sex with strangers every day.

“I was locked in a room where you couldn't see what happened outside, you couldn't see anything. 
If it was day or night. I was all alone. The windows were covered by bars like in the jail. It was very difficult for me.”

One lucky day she managed to find a way out and ran from the house asking for help from people on the streets.

“I was terrified at the moment, but happy that people were there. And if something bad happened to me like the person would try and come and find me and kill me, at least they will see him and fight him.”

It was cold and she didn’t have a coat or any money but kind strangers gave her some money which she used to travel some distance from the house where eventually she asked the police for help. They recognised that she was potentially a victim of modern slavery and she was referred to The Salvation Army who arranged for her to have a room in a safe house and support to rebuild her life.