Timeline: how charity's efforts uncovered slavery in south London

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/22/freedom-charity-slavery-south-london-timeline

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<strong>9 October 2013</strong>

ITV broadcasts Forced to Marry about the experiences of girls as young as 13 forced to marry against their will. The Freedom Charity helped make the programme, which included a plea from its founder, Aneeta Prem. At around this time Prem also appeared on a BBC news programme about the issue, which is believed to have prompted a call for help from one of the three women, who had memorised a helpline number displayed on screen.

<strong>18 October</strong>

One of the three women, a 57-year-old from Ireland, contacts Freedom Charity's helpline. She says she and two women have been held against their will for more than 30 years at an unnamed house in Lambeth, south London.

<strong>18-25 October</strong>

Freedom Charity's chief executive, Vineeta Thornhill, holds a series of pre-arranged phone calls with the Irishwoman to build up her trust and begins to arrange how the women can be freed.

<strong>21 October</strong>

Freedom Charity contacts a Metropolitan police unit that deals with sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse. It passes the case to the human trafficking unit, which begins planning their rescue.

<strong>25 October</strong>

The Irishwoman and a 30-year-old British woman, thought to have been born in the Lambeth house, have their first face-to-face meeting with staff from the Freedom Charity at an agreed location. They later meet the police and only then reveal the address where they have been held for so long. The police then rescue the third woman, a 69-year-old from Malaysia, at the address. All three women are taken to safety where they are treated for trauma. They have allegedly suffered years of physical and psychological abuse. The police say there is no evidence they have been sexually abused.

<strong>21 November</strong>

An unnamed man and woman, both 67 and not British citizens, are arrested at 7.30am in Lambeth, south London, on suspicion of being involved in forced labour and domestic servitude. They are later released on bail until January. Police delay the arrest so they can work with the victims to establish the facts of the case.

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