Raised in Albania, Emina* was 20 years old when her father told her that he’d identified a suitable husband for her and that she was going to marry. Although she planned to go to university, Emina’s objections to the marriage were met with physical and verbal abuse.
A traditional ceremony took place in Albania before Emina and her new husband travelled across Europe to the UK. Settling in the south, Emina was made to look after relatives’ children and do household chores while waiting for her spousal visa to come through. She was told that she would then need to work and pay the family back for the money spent in getting her to the UK. Emina kept her like in the UK secret from her family because she didn't want to bring shame to them and for her father to get angry and any blood feuds to be created amongst their families.
After two years, Emina started objecting to the way she was being treated. When her husband decided he’d had enough he abandoned her, leaving her homeless and vulnerable due to her unstable immigration status. She spent some time in asylum accommodation before she found out she was being evicted.
Visiting a local asylum support service, Emina met with Medaille Trust’s outreach worker who happened to be there on that day and recognised the signs of modern slavery in her situation. As one of only a small number of voluntary organisations designated as a First Responder, we guided Emina through the process of entering the National Referral Mechanism, where she could access support as a potential victim of modern slavery.
While waiting for a first-stage decision on whether Emina qualified for support, a request for emergency housing was made. This was initially refused, so our team advocated on Emina’s behalf as, with no recourse to public funds, she couldn’t claim benefits or housing assistance. The decision was overturned and Emina was placed in one of our safehouses.
While Emina is receiving the support she needs, her future looks uncertain. Her application for asylum was declined and she has been given no right of appeal by the Home Office under certification of the UK-Albania agreement.
* Names have been changed to protect the identity of survivors
