Discussing Modern Slavery in Manchester

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By Chantelle Tindall

Domestic slavery is a scourge in our society and it is up to each of us to stamp it out.

This menacing form of inhumanity first came to my attention at the recent GAB Awards ceremony in Manchester - when it was highlighted by the Salvation Army charity who spoke at length about its ills. The spokesperson informed that domestic slavery occurs in plain sight and could be happening right before our eyes to people or children we know, or, even committed by people we know. Sometimes, people want to act but never do, or, instead, just completely turn a blind eye.

Movie producer - Roseline Sanni-Ajose was in Manchester recently to screen her movie: In A Strange Land. The movie explicitly follows the plight of a young girl tricked into believing there is a better life waiting for her in Europe, only to end up enslaved in a house, then treated in the most inhumane way possible with all her freedom denied her. This is true of the many stories told by those who had been held against their will in the different communities where this is a common practice, not just Nigerian or African house-holds.

Due to the abuse suffered by people enslaved under this system, some of them lose all their dignity and find it hard to function properly within a community even when freed. At that point, it has badly affected their mental health. It steals from their self confidence. Some sufferers are unable to face their abusers even after they have been freed.

There was an interactive session after the screening with Roseline and other guests  on hand to take some questions. The founder of Africans Unite against Child Abuse (AFRUCA) Debbie Ariyo OBE was also in attendance. She stated that parents back in Africa do not often believe their children when they feedback news about the level of suffering they go through. The habit of labelling people or children in domestic slavery situations  as "witches," according to her, is harmful as it "isolates them from people and makes them lose all their confidence."Parents back in Africa or wherever these people come from should be made to listen and not get greedy or selfish due to the hope of future prosperity that their child represents.

Debbie is championing this cause so that it does not become a norm within the community in the UK. She does not want children growing up in house-holds where their parents abuse their house-helps believing it is a normal family characteristic. Some children even actively abuse the house-helps. She is creating an awareness and opening up a dialogue whereby even family members and friends are able to report such suspected cases without fear.

How do we guard against such practices?

One member of the audience Julie Asumu suggested that the film should be taken back to the roots to forewarn. Broadcasting both movies and the Q & A sessions  across schools was another idea aired.

Also on the Panel was Dr Erinma Bell MBE who reminded us of the fact that having domestic helps in Nigerian homes was intended as a positive. A means to help either a relative from the village and to be helped back in return. Help with several things: house chores, looking after the children and in turn, assist them, by sending them to school, or they learn a trade which eventually sets them up for life. She was also keen to highlight the true nature of having help, stating "we should not forget the good intentions it served."  Unfortunately, some people have turned it on its head and gone on to use it as an enslavement mechanism to abuse the trust given them.

From the Nigerian perspective it is more about lifting each other up. For example, a brother leaves the village to the city, finds work and is successful. He in turn sends for a sibling or relative to come and help around the house while he goes to work. The relative is then rewarded with an education or a vocation. Like a chain reaction, this process continues thus taking them out of an uncertain future of little or no education or career path. This shows that the core reason for having help was a win, win, situation for all involved.

Roseline told me that her movie was based on a "true life event." The lady involved told her the story and they worked on it together by developing it with the aim of raising the awareness as to the dangers of domestic slavery and also to let people back in Africa know that not all travels to Europe end up well. They wanted to spread the message to the root, the source, to families, and the fact that people more often come with false promises of a wonderful life abroad for their children. Unfortunately, it never turns out that way in some cases.

A negative effect discussed was its impact on the children who see their parents commit such abuses. They become complicit and even start to abuse the help themselves as it is normalised in their world. When friends and family members turn a blind eye to such abuses, it only endangers the victim further and could end tragically.  She added: "Working with AFRUCA had been rewarding as it was the perfect charity organisation with its shared ideals to put the message across and create even more awareness to stamp out that mentality of keeping, abusing and enslaving anyone. Making young children have the awareness is a good thing."

Roseline also fully intends to keep this message "ongoing until the menace is completely stamped out within every community."  She is looking ahead to her next project which she hopes helps highlight more of the social injustices within our communities and society. She believes in telling untold stories, making films that are untouchable to some movie makers, within the African community especially, and hopes it eventually helps raise  the awareness and solutions within such areas.

Solutions.

Across the room, both panel members and the audience all agreed that everyone should be alert within our communities just in case there is somebody in a desperate situation. Most people do not want to implicate their loved ones, and let such abuses go unreported. This has to change. AFRUCA as a point of contact, will help such people stay anonymous. Just like the Modern Slavery helpline.

It was also felt that booklets and leaflets should be widely circulated in schools. Domestic-Slavery awareness campaigns should be common-place in schools so that children will realise it is a serious crime. They should be taught how to deal with such situations.

A child will find it hard and feel guilty reporting their parents. However, with the correct awareness programmes, hopefully, the child will come to understand how necessary an act it is. The conflicting messages sent by such parents to the child by showing them love, and simultaneously abusing someone else, need to be de-coded; otherwise, as things are, the damaging impact would surely result in counselling sessions and a serious impact on a child's mental-health.

Thankfully, according to members of the panel and the audience, The Nigeria High Commission and the Nigerian government are very supportive to victims, giving advice and assistance.