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| Women 'held as slaves for 30 years' | Women 'held as slaves for 30 years' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Three women have been "rescued" from a south London house as police investigate claims they were held as slaves for about 30 years. | Three women have been "rescued" from a south London house as police investigate claims they were held as slaves for about 30 years. |
| Police arrested a 67-year-old man and woman in Lambeth at 07:30 GMT. | Police arrested a 67-year-old man and woman in Lambeth at 07:30 GMT. |
| Last month officers were contacted by Freedom Charity after it received a call from a woman saying she had been held against her will for decades. | Last month officers were contacted by Freedom Charity after it received a call from a woman saying she had been held against her will for decades. |
| A Malaysian woman, 69, an Irish woman, 57, and a British woman, 30, were rescued from the house on 25 October. | A Malaysian woman, 69, an Irish woman, 57, and a British woman, 30, were rescued from the house on 25 October. |
| Delayed arrest | Delayed arrest |
| The women, who are said to be "highly traumatised", are now in safe accommodation. | The women, who are said to be "highly traumatised", are now in safe accommodation. |
| The 30-year-old had spent her whole life in captivity. Officers are trying to establish whether she was born in the house. | The 30-year-old had spent her whole life in captivity. Officers are trying to establish whether she was born in the house. |
| Police said the relationship between the women was being investigated. | Police said the relationship between the women was being investigated. |
| Det Insp Kevin Hyland, from the Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Unit, said: "We have seen some cases when people have been held for 10 years, but we have never seen anything of this magnitude before." | Det Insp Kevin Hyland, from the Metropolitan Police's Human Trafficking Unit, said: "We have seen some cases when people have been held for 10 years, but we have never seen anything of this magnitude before." |
| He added that the women had controlled lives and spent most of it indoors, but they had some freedom. | He added that the women had controlled lives and spent most of it indoors, but they had some freedom. |
| Mr Hyland said: "The women were released as soon as possible. | Mr Hyland said: "The women were released as soon as possible. |
| "There was a delay in the arrest. This was down to the fact that we had to work very carefully with these people who were highly traumatised and it was very difficult to establish the facts. | "There was a delay in the arrest. This was down to the fact that we had to work very carefully with these people who were highly traumatised and it was very difficult to establish the facts. |
| "The last thing we wanted to do was increase that trauma." | "The last thing we wanted to do was increase that trauma." |
| Police said the facts behind the situation were being slowly established as specialist workers were assisting the women. Officers said there was no evidence of sexual abuse. | Police said the facts behind the situation were being slowly established as specialist workers were assisting the women. Officers said there was no evidence of sexual abuse. |
| "A television documentary on forced marriages relating to the work of Freedom Charity was the catalyst that prompted one of the victims to call for help and led to their rescue," Mr Hyland said. | "A television documentary on forced marriages relating to the work of Freedom Charity was the catalyst that prompted one of the victims to call for help and led to their rescue," Mr Hyland said. |
| 'Ordinary' street | 'Ordinary' street |
| The phone call to the charity was made by the Irish woman on 18 October who said two others were being held with her. | The phone call to the charity was made by the Irish woman on 18 October who said two others were being held with her. |
| The charity contacted the police the same day and the information was passed on to the Met Police's Human Trafficking Unit on 21 October. | The charity contacted the police the same day and the information was passed on to the Met Police's Human Trafficking Unit on 21 October. |
| Further inquiries by police revealed the location of the house, and after "sensitive negotiations" by the charity the women agreed to meet with the police at a location on 25 October. | Further inquiries by police revealed the location of the house, and after "sensitive negotiations" by the charity the women agreed to meet with the police at a location on 25 October. |
| The Irish woman and the British woman met the police and charity workers and showed the officers where they were being held. | The Irish woman and the British woman met the police and charity workers and showed the officers where they were being held. |
| The 69-year-old Malaysian woman was rescued from the house and the trio were taken to a safe place. | The 69-year-old Malaysian woman was rescued from the house and the trio were taken to a safe place. |
| Police said the two people arrested are not British nationals and it was "very unlikely" that the alleged victims were related to the suspects because of their nationalities. | Police said the two people arrested are not British nationals and it was "very unlikely" that the alleged victims were related to the suspects because of their nationalities. |
| Speaking to the BBC, Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, said the charity was investigating how the women had remained hidden for so long. | Speaking to the BBC, Aneeta Prem, founder of Freedom Charity, said the charity was investigating how the women had remained hidden for so long. |
| "In a very busy capital city we often don't know our neighbours. We're looking at people who were kept against their will in an ordinary residential street in central London," she said. | "In a very busy capital city we often don't know our neighbours. We're looking at people who were kept against their will in an ordinary residential street in central London," she said. |
| 'Incredibly brave' | 'Incredibly brave' |
| Ms Prem added: "We started in-depth talks to them when they could. It had to be pre-arranged. They gave us set times when they were able to speak to us. | |
| "It was planned that they would be able to walk out of the property. The police were on standby." | "It was planned that they would be able to walk out of the property. The police were on standby." |
| Ms Prem said the two people arrested were considered the "heads of the family". | |
| A Home Office spokesman said: "The home secretary is shocked by this appalling case and while the police need to get to the bottom of exactly what happened here, the home secretary has made clear her determination to tackle the scourge of modern slavery." | A Home Office spokesman said: "The home secretary is shocked by this appalling case and while the police need to get to the bottom of exactly what happened here, the home secretary has made clear her determination to tackle the scourge of modern slavery." |
| MP Frank Field, chairman of the modern slavery bill evidence review and vice-chairman of the human trafficking foundation, said: "It was incredibly brave for one of the victims to call for help - much more needs to be done to help victims come forward." | MP Frank Field, chairman of the modern slavery bill evidence review and vice-chairman of the human trafficking foundation, said: "It was incredibly brave for one of the victims to call for help - much more needs to be done to help victims come forward." |