Three London women freed after 30 years

Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Three women were freed for the first time in 30 years in what British authorities are calling "the worst case of modern-day slavery" in Britain.

A 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old British woman, who was likely born in captivity, were all "deeply traumatized" and had "no contact with the outside world," officials said.

The three women were freed after Metropolitan police's human trafficking unit arrested a man and woman, both 67, at a residence in Lambeth, in south London. Police said the investigation began after the Irishwoman saw a documentary about an organization called the Freedom Charity on television and called for help.

"The Irish lady saw me on TV and the name of the charity was a catalyst," said Aneeta Prem, the organization's founder. "This is exactly what they wanted, they wanted freedom."

Through careful, clandestine efforts of the police, the two women were able to walk out of the house -- an "ordinary house in an ordinary street" on the morning of October 25. Police then went in and were able to rescue the third woman.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland, of the police trafficking unit, said they were able to coax information out of the women while they were in the care of specialists after their ordeal. Through their testimony, police were able to build the necessary evidence to arrest their captors.

"They had limited freedom, there was some controlled freedom but their lives were allegedly one of domestic servants or forced labor," Hyland said. "They were living in a normal community, but that's not unusual for cases of servitude, trafficking or forced labor."

Freedom Charity's Prem said the women "felt they were in massive danger" and were "absolutely terrified" of their captors.

“I think it’s a real rarity, I certainly haven’t heard of anything this before," Prem said. "I’ve heard of stories abroad but not in the center of London."

[The Guardian]