Xin

Xin, 20, is from China. Her parents died suddenly when she was nine years old and she was taken in by a relative, who put her to work as a domestic servant.

At the age of 11 she was introduced to a man working with her aunt, and forced into prostitution. She was terrified but too small to resist. The treatment she endured was physically and sexually barbaric, and she has scars all over her body as a result. At the age of 14, she attempted suicide. As punishment for this, she was kept in solitary confinement and chained up.

Aged 19, having endured 10 years of slavery and prostitution, her aunt sold her to a customer. Xin was trafficked to the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation. She hoped her buyer would help her escape but, to her dismay, she found herself in a brothel. It was approaching Christmas so it was cold, with short days and long nights. After a few weeks, she managed to escape through a bathroom window. She ran, wearing only flimsy indoor clothing and footwear. She didn’t speak a word of English and had no idea where she was. A passer-by found a Chinese person and Xin explained that she was in danger. She was taken to the police and applied to the Home Office for asylum. Her claim was refused, but on appeal she was granted three years of humanitarian protection.

Following this, Xin was referred to the team at the Helen Bamber Foundation. Initially she would sob silently throughout sessions, covering her head and staring at the floor. She was in incredible pain but could not vocalise her distress. After a slow start, she began to engage in therapeutic work. She began to dress differently, and started to take pride in her appearance.

Gradually, Xin felt able to trust the team at the Foundation and believe she was worth caring for. She has never missed an appointment, despite the pain of articulating her difficulties. Speaking about her experience, she says: “I am like a baby again in this strange country. I have to start learning everything all over again, but I have to do it quickly because I have already lost so many years.”

Her therapist provided two detailed reports for Xin’s appeal hearing, and gave evidence in court to support her asylum claim. Bearing witness is a profound and important validation of a survivor’s experiences.

Xin is highly intelligent and has learned English very quickly. As soon as she was given leave to remain in the UK she got a job, and only received benefits for a single week. Despite grieving for her losses, Xin is optimistic about what her life holds. She recently took the therapist’s hand, looked her in the eye and said, “I will have a future and you will see it.”

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