“The false promises became lies… They wanted a slave.”
A woman who came to Northern Ireland after fleeing domestic abuse in Africa has told how she was held in domestic servitude and subjected to exploitation and abuse by the family she worked for.
Angela came to Belfast believing she was taking up a legitimate job as a nanny for a family with five children. Instead, she says she was deceived, trapped and left without her passport or visa.
Her story is one that we have uncovered this week as part of our Inside Northern Ireland’s Secret Slave Trade investigation.
READ MORE: Inside Northern Ireland’s Secret Slave Trade: The Hidden Scale of TraffickingREAD MORE: Inside Northern Ireland’s Secret Slave Trade: Why traffickers are walking free
She said she had accepted the offer of work after leaving an abusive marriage. “My life in Africa wasn’t good,” she said. “I suffered domestic abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, he controlled everything, I endured this life for many years. He knew that I could never leave.”
Angela, who worked as a classroom assistant in her home country, said she hoped that moving to Northern Ireland would allow her to provide for her three children and rebuild her life. “There were so many promises made,” she said. “I believed that it looked promising and that my children would not have to stop school and that I wouldn’t have to struggle again.”
However, when she arrived in Belfast, the situation quickly changed. “Initially, I was dumb, honestly, I trusted them so much and I loved their children with all my heart,” she said. “The false promises became lies, the family realised that Angela is just so good she can do everything for them. They wanted a slave.”
Angela said her passport was taken and her visa expired, leaving her unable to leave or seek help. “When I really understood what was happening, I couldn’t leave,” she said. “They had my passport, and the visa had expired, and the return flight ticket had expired. So, I couldn’t go anywhere. I felt so hopeless.”
When she confronted the family, she said they blamed immigration delays at the Home Office and used her immigration status as a threat. “Suddenly, I knew that I was in big trouble,” she said. “I was illegal in the country; this was a threat used against me many times.”
Angela described suffering physical and emotional abuse while being forced to work in the home. “They started torturing me, maltreating me and abusing me,” she said. “I thought, please no, this was my life in Africa, the suffering and cruelty that I endured from my husband.”
She eventually managed to escape and sought help from the PSNI, who referred her into the National Referral Mechanism, the government system for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery.
“I felt so disheartened, downcast, I didn’t know who I was or what was going to happen to my life,” she said.
Angela was then supported by Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid, who provided emergency accommodation and helped her begin to rebuild her life. “From the very first day, I was made to feel safe and welcomed,” she said. “When you are at your lowest point and feel unattractive, Women’s Aid fed me, clothed me and gave me a roof over your head.”
With support, she began volunteering and went on to study at Belfast Met, completing English, Maths and a childcare course.
“My keyworker encouraged me to believe in myself, she restored my joy and made me realise that I was somebody,” she said.
Angela now works full-time and lives independently. “I work full time and have my own home,” she said. “I continue to learn. I would say I now have a life. Life is a blessing.”
If you suspect that someone is a victim of human trafficking, report it to the police on 101.
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