Our tenth anniversary year in review
Dear Friend,
Itās been a special yearāweāre marking ten years since we opened our doors. As youāll discover on pages 4-6, I contacted a guest from each year to learn how their time at Caritas Bakhita House impacted their road to recovery. You can imagine how much it meant that the word that was used the most was āfamilyā.
It may seem strange that the terrible crimes of trafficking, modern slavery and exploitation have forged a family, but I am very proud. Itās an honour to walk alongside each traumatised woman who arrives here to make a new start. Each of our 18 babies have brought new life and hope.
On page 8, you can read about our sensory sessions, which help our mums and babies bond. My colleague, Anna, has had the privilege of accompanying most of them through birth. I am next of kin to many. Iām truly touched that these courageous women turned to us when they felt they had no one elseāitās a true reflection of the family we have become.
I want to thank everyone who has supported our guestsāvolunteers, donors, staff members and the wider team. Most of all, I want to acknowledge the bravery and determination of each woman to persevere and build themselves a new future. You are my heroes!
Karen Anstiss
Karen Anstiss
Caritas Bakhita House Service Manager
Ayesha bravely gave evidence
Ayesha travelled to the UK for an arranged marriage. After moving in with her husband, his mother and brother, she was beaten, strangled, raped, starved and forced to take drugs. Subjected to domestic servitude, she was not allowed to leave the house. Threats were made to kill her family back in Pakistan. The police brought Ayesha to Caritas Bakhita House to begin her recovery. She went on to give evidence in court over the course of three daysāa brutal experience. But having heard the truth, the jury found her husband guilty of multiple charges including rape, and controlling and coercive behaviour with violence. Sentencing will occur in 2026.
ā I am sad to be treated like this by someone I believed loved me,ā says Ayesha. āI am now rebuilding my life.ā
Women staying at Bakhita House have bravely given evidence to convict their exploiters and abusers on charges relating to kidnap, rape, coercive control, drugs, trafficking, modern slavery and sexual exploitation. Some of the most brutal offenders have been sentenced to 231 years in prison (more details in next yearās report).
Karen Anstiss, Head of Caritas Bakhita House
Front cover Mabel Symons Portrait of St Josephine Bakhita for Bakhita House oil on canvas board
Ten years. Ten lives. Ten voices.
Since Caritas Bakhita House opened 10 years ago, as many as 224 women have found safety, sanctuary and support to recover and rebuild their lives.
Here, ten womenāone from each yearāshare their experiences.
2015
āI
had no idea if anyone would help me.ā
Rohini was our first ever guest at Bakhita House. She travelled from India to Quatar to become a domestic worker and support her three children. On arrival, her employer sexually assaulted her. She had no moneyāno way to escape. The family eventually brought her to the UK. When she tried to escape, another man sexually assaulted her. She eventually got away after asking for help in a local supermarket.
ā I had no idea who could help me, or if anyone would help me. Then I went to Bakhita House. You assisted me to learn English, to find housing and reconnect to my family. For this, and the life I have now, I am grateful.ā
Rohina now has a part-time job and reunited with her children four years after leaving Caritas Bakhita House.
2016
āI truly believe that without Caritas Bakhita House, I wouldnāt be here today.ā
Natia came to the UK from Georgia to escape political persecution. A family friend offered to help her, but instead forced her into work as a domestic slave. Her passport and medication were confiscated. She was forced to cook and clean. She was sexually assaulted and beaten. She was told if she confided in anyone, her mother and father would be harmed. After one year, she escaped and became homeless on the streets until a charity referred her to Caritas Bakhita House.
ā Living at Caritas Bakhita House changed my life completely. When I arrived, I was broken and frightened. I didnāt believe I could ever feel safe or whole again. But the care, love and compassion I received helped me to heal.
ā The team gave me more than shelter and support. They gave me dignity, strength, and a reason to live. I will carry their kindness and faith in my heart for the rest of my life. I truly believe that, without Caritas Bakhita House, I wouldnāt be here today.ā
Natia is safe. She has a partner and a child.
2017
āI am now a qualified nurse.ā
When Folake was 14, her father brought her to the UK from Nigeria. Her step-mum was verbally abusive towards her and made her get up at 5:30am to clean the house and look after her stepsiblings. After school, she would attend homework club then return home to continue her chores until midnight. Weekends were more cleaning and caring for her younger siblings. She was not allowed to go out unaccompanied. A family friend
then sexually assaulted her. When Folake confided in a teacher, the police intervened and recognised her to be a victim of trafficking for domestic servitude.
ā Caritas Bakhita House played a significant role in helping me to rebuild my life. Through their various services, such as accommodation, counselling, charity volunteering and physical therapy, I gradually regained stability and direction. I am now a qualified nurse and my life has greatly improved. I am grateful to Caritas Bakhita House for creating a safe space for me to grow and achieve my goals.ā
Folake is working as a nurse and living independently.
2018
āI cherish every moment spent at this wonderful place.ā
In 2016, Duaās parents arranged for her to marry an older man, who would pay her family. On the day she was due to marry him, Dua fled to Italy.When she called her parents in Albania, they told her that she had brought shame on the family and, if she returned home, they would kill her.She has had no further contact with them. A month later, her boyfriend sold her to an Albanian man, who sexually exploited her. After 18 months, he brought her to the UK. The exploitation only ended when she escaped.
ā The first thought that comes to my mind is FAMILY! Not the kind bound by blood and obligation, but the one built by youāby trust, compassion, belief and love. No words can describe how wonderful it is to have someone who believes that, with support, you can rise and shine again. I cherish every moment spent at this wonderful place.ā
Dua lives with her husband and two children. She has a degree and is working full time.
2019
āI will forever carry with me the care, love and support we received.ā
Sinag had to leave her home in the Philippines when a family member sexually abused her. She applied for a job as a domestic worker in Kuwait, where she worked long hours for no pay and little food. She ran away and was promised a job in Dubai, where again she was exploited. The family brought her to the UK. A woman helped her escape
and found her housing with friends. She then became pregnant. When the father of her child left her, she was referred to Caritas Bakhita House.
ā My son and I stayed at Caritas Bakhita House for two years. During our stay, we received not only shelter, but also support, understanding and encouragement. The staff were always ready to listen and help in any way they could. This environment allowed both me and my son to feel secure, heal and rebuild our lives stepby-step. I will forever carry with me the care, love and support we received.ā
Sinag is in a stable relationship. She is pregnant for a second time and working part-time.
2020
āAt Caritas Bakhita House, I celebrated my birthday for the first time.ā
At 16, Oana ran away from her home in Romania and the stepfather who had abused her from the age of nine. A woman, who said she would help her, then sexually exploited her on the streets. After being arrested by the police, the woman and her husband trafficked Oana through Europe and, eventually, sexually exploited her in the UK. When she attempted to run away, they hunted her down and kidnapped her. This was reported to police. Oanaās exploiters took her to a police station to say she was safe, but she bravely took the chance to ask for help.
āWhen I arrived at Caritas Bakhita House, I was frightened. A staff member took me to the dining room and I had dinner with all the guests and staff. It was so nice. It was like a family. At Caritas Bakhita House, I celebrated my birthday for the first time in my life and received my first ever present. I learned I can build my own life! Now I have a job, a safe space to sleep, and Iām free to take my own decisions.ā
Oana works, lives independently, and returns to tend to our garden on a regular basis.
2021
āThank youā
Priya left India believing her husband would care for her and their children. However, she was kept in an āhonourā-based abuse situation from 2006. She was kept in domestic servitude and sexually assaulted. She eventually escaped with one of her three children and went to the police.
āBakhita House taught me a lot of things that helped me in my life. I learned English, how to use public transport and attend appointments on my own which helped with my confidence. Staff supported me to find a job and I have been working there since. Thank you, I am very happy!ā Priya now has a home, a job and a grandchild.
2022
āThere is love throughout at Caritas Bakhita House.ā
At 19, Chiamaka was forced into a sham marriage with a 40-year-old man, who abused her for years. When she was eventually able to escape, she discovered she was pregnant. Desperate to provide for herself, she was offered help to find a job in the UK by a woman from her village. Chiamaka travelled from Nigeria with the promise of secure employment, but she was forced into sexual exploitation. After running away, she slept on buses for weeks before someone helped her get to hospital.
ā Caritas Bakhita House is a safe haven. I was supported in ways I couldnāt have imagined. This is where I had my first-born and I was treated like a human being. There is love throughout at Caritas Bakhita House. Every time I visit, I tell my friends that Iām going to my family home because I am part of the family.ā
Chiamaka lives independently and is studying so she can go to university when her son is older.
2023
āStaying strong empowers you.ā
Hanh met a man through her local Vietnamese community at a vulnerable time. She had recently left her husband and children. At first, their relationship was normal. Then he began trying to sexually exploit her. He made threats to kill her and her children if she left him. He burnt her passport and took control of her childrenās passports. He changed the PIN on her phone so she could not contact anyone. To escape him, she jumped from a first-floor window. She was found to have two fractures to her spine, two burn marks, a bruised neck, severe bruising around the eyes, multiple āhistoricalā stab wounds and bruising to the body.
ā My first day I knew I could rest as I had found freedom. Through my stay, I became creativeā
to enjoy art, music and drama. I choose to cook for me and others, and found happiness and freedom for myself. I learnt it was important to be strong as a woman, not only to recover, but also self-develop and learn about life, so not to make mistakes in the future. They showed me staying strong empowers you.ā
Hanh now has a job. She sees her family on a regular basis and often visits us.
2024
āWhen I arrived, I had no happiness inside of me.ā
Mariama left her home in Guinea when a family member in the UK asked if she would like to come on holiday. On arrival, she was told she would be a servant. She was expected to cook, clean and care for three people. She never received any form of payment. She was shouted and screamed at if her work was not to the required standard. She did not have a key to the property and could not come and go freely. She was provided with food. However, she was often not allowed to eat at the same time as the rest of the family or in the same location.
āCaritas Bakhita House is a family house. It was the first safe place after my exploitation. When I arrived, I had no happiness inside of me, but they supported me to feel better and to find a new home and job. The teachers were so good I can now speak English and go to college. They made me want a new and better life. They made me a new person.ā
Mariama now lives independently. She attends college and works part-time.
2025
āHere,
I found a family!ā
Marcela met a man in her home country, Brazil. He told her that he loved her and would care for her if she came to the UK. But the promises of marriage and a happy family life never materialised. Marcela was forced to be a domestic slaveācleaning, cooking and providing sexual gratification. He controlled every aspect of her life. He abused her physically, sexually and mentally. He did not allow her to leave the house.
ā In the worst moment of my life, when I didnāt have any way out, I found help at Caritas Bakhita House. I feel loved and protected, ready and strong to overcome my trauma. I donāt have words to describe how great is the help that I receive. Here, I found a family!ā
Marcela is learning English and taking part in therapy to overcome her recent trauma.
A mountain to climb The healing power of art
When I arrived four years ago, as the new art tutor, I could see that art was important. Caritas Bakhita House is filled with paintings, wood-engravings, batik and intricate beadwork. These artworks bring joy, colour and brightness. They breathe a muchneeded sense of optimism and hope.
Perhaps the most spectacular project that the art group has undertaken was the Eagle star quilt, which now belongs to Cardinal Vincent Nichols. On paper, it looked easy enough, but as we progressed it became apparent that we didnāt quite have the skills to complete it. Fortunately, there were two women staying in Caritas Bakhita House who had exceptional needlecraft skills. With immense patience and skill, they wove the eight segments that form the quilt together to create something quite spectacular. It was a proud moment for all the women when they saw their work on display in The Jesuit centre in Mayfair as part of a three-week exhibition.
Many of the women who come to Caritas Bakhita House bring with them a sophisticated skill-set. Part of my role is to tune into some of these skills and to balance them with new ones.
Does art matter to someone who has been trafficked? Can it make a difference to a person whose life has been turned upside down? Creating and making things has huge benefits. Itās a way of telling people about ourselves. It is fun and, dare I say it, it can also heal.
My passion is combatting violence against women and girls, which I try to do in my day-to-day work and by raising funds, including my hare-brained idea to trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal for Caritas Bakhita House.
I believe Caritas Bakhita House should serve as a model for how to provide a person-centred, traumainformed response to women. I was moved by the dedication of their team and the welcoming atmosphere.
With the support of our fabulous team of Nepali and Sherpa guides, as well as our yaks, we had a really strong trek up to Dingboche. Though four members either turned back or were medically evacuated due to illness, we pressed on and finally reached Everest Base Camp, perched up at 5364m. The next morning, I was evacuated for medical treatment. While I was sad that I could not trek back, I was thrilled to have completed the core challenge.
Lucy McAuley, Regional Safeguarding Lead in the Church of Englandās National Safeguarding Team.
