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Slave
This is the shocking true story of how an ordinary young girl was knapped off the street as she walked home and turned into a slave – before fighting for her freedom and finding the courage to help the police in one of the UK’s most shocking modern-day slavery trials.
Anna was an innocent student when she was kidnapped, beaten and forced into the sex slave industry. Threatened and tormented by her pimps, she was made to sleep with thousands of men. But she would not allow them to break her. On learning that she would be trafficked to Dubai, she found the courage to trick her captors and flee. Later, she would also find that same resilience to help the police bring down her abductors in what has now become one of our biggest windows into the worldwide sex trafficking trade.
For the first time, the girl at the centre of the storm reveals the heart-breaking truth.
Anna was an innocent student when she was kidnapped, beaten and forced into the sex slave industry. Threatened and tormented by her pimps, she was made to sleep with thousands of men. But she would not allow them to break her. On learning that she would be trafficked to Dubai, she found the courage to trick her captors and flee. Later, she would also find that same resilience to help the police bring down her abductors in what has now become one of our biggest windows into the worldwide sex trafficking trade.
For the first time, the girl at the centre of the storm reveals the heart-breaking truth.
313 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 2018
82 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Jason Johnson
11 books2 followersI'VE always been interested in off-road stories, the sort of stuff that goes to odd and unexpected places.
So, when it comes to fiction, those are the kind of tales I like to write.
Sometimes I spend about four hours on a couple of hundred words, sometimes about four minutes.
I'm not even sure sometimes if I'm doing this right, but then I remember there are no rules.
That's probably the best thing about it.
My Belfast-set thriller DID SHE SEE YOU? is out now.
So, when it comes to fiction, those are the kind of tales I like to write.
Sometimes I spend about four hours on a couple of hundred words, sometimes about four minutes.
I'm not even sure sometimes if I'm doing this right, but then I remember there are no rules.
That's probably the best thing about it.
My Belfast-set thriller DID SHE SEE YOU? is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
December 30, 2018
This is a shocking true story and all the more for the fact that it happened in North London - where I live! Anna (not her real name) recounts the way she was taken from a suburban street and within 24hrs, was in a different country being repeatedly beaten and raped. Cut off from family & friends, her past and even her own identity, she survived 9 months before a random meeting provided her with a way out.
Anna has gone on to rebuild her life - something we should remember took her years to do. She was an integral part of bringing about new legislation in Ireland on making prostitution/payment for sex illegal which was one of the toughest bills in the world. And she continues to fight for the rights of trafficked sex 'slaves'.
Reading Anna's story made me realise that it's one that's a lot closer to home than I ever really understood and that it was the kindness of two complete strangers that helped her escape and rebuild her life. I wonder whether I will ever be one of the strangers that can not only identify but also steps forward to be part of the solution. Important and eye-opening reading. 4-stars.
Anna has gone on to rebuild her life - something we should remember took her years to do. She was an integral part of bringing about new legislation in Ireland on making prostitution/payment for sex illegal which was one of the toughest bills in the world. And she continues to fight for the rights of trafficked sex 'slaves'.
Reading Anna's story made me realise that it's one that's a lot closer to home than I ever really understood and that it was the kindness of two complete strangers that helped her escape and rebuild her life. I wonder whether I will ever be one of the strangers that can not only identify but also steps forward to be part of the solution. Important and eye-opening reading. 4-stars.
June 28, 2019
Wow what a story. It was a very tough read and I felt absolutely shocked and saddened with what Anna went through. I’m so glad she’s now helping to change laws which will help others who have gone through what she did. Her story was absolutely heartbreaking and it’s horrendous that sex trafficking is still happening and I feel for every single person going through it. I wish Anna a very happy future because she more than deserves it.
June 24, 2025
This book was written by Anna with Jason Johnson who is a journalist from Northern Ireland. Anna is a young girl from Romania who was literally kidnapped not far from her house on a north London street in 2011. This is terrifying. How can this happen?
It did happen and Anna tells the story. Bundled in a car while coming back to her house to grab some lunch before going off to her next house cleaning job. What the hell? She is taken to Galway in Ireland to be a sex slave in a brothel.
Like the British police who basically told young girls (under 16 years old) that it was all their doing that they were gang raped by the grooming gangs in the north of England and did nothing except protect the gangs when the Irish police raided the brothel this is how they acted when they saw her all bruised; ‘(the police) were looking at me not with a horror or a surprise or sympathy but with only disgust. These were not looks of pity, of sadness or kindness, not the looks of police officers finding a crime.’ What is it with police? Are they just untrained? Uneducated? How do they not know about this practice of human trafficking and sexual slavery? Where is the compassion? They need to read this book.
What Anna went through was sickening. The gangs are sickening. The men that come into the brothel to rape her are sickening. It is heartbreaking.
It did happen and Anna tells the story. Bundled in a car while coming back to her house to grab some lunch before going off to her next house cleaning job. What the hell? She is taken to Galway in Ireland to be a sex slave in a brothel.
Like the British police who basically told young girls (under 16 years old) that it was all their doing that they were gang raped by the grooming gangs in the north of England and did nothing except protect the gangs when the Irish police raided the brothel this is how they acted when they saw her all bruised; ‘(the police) were looking at me not with a horror or a surprise or sympathy but with only disgust. These were not looks of pity, of sadness or kindness, not the looks of police officers finding a crime.’ What is it with police? Are they just untrained? Uneducated? How do they not know about this practice of human trafficking and sexual slavery? Where is the compassion? They need to read this book.
What Anna went through was sickening. The gangs are sickening. The men that come into the brothel to rape her are sickening. It is heartbreaking.
August 3, 2018
Shocking, insightful, heartbreaking and powerful!
I couldn’t put this book down! One can’t help but care deeply for Anna; a strong, intelligent woman, taken against her will and used as a sex slave. Her story is truly shocking, raw and honest. She is a very brave young lady who instead of giving up fought with every ounce of strength she could find within herself. I believe that after a long struggle, she found a great sense of victory that she can forever be proud of, in what could have been a very dark end to her life.
I couldn’t put this book down! One can’t help but care deeply for Anna; a strong, intelligent woman, taken against her will and used as a sex slave. Her story is truly shocking, raw and honest. She is a very brave young lady who instead of giving up fought with every ounce of strength she could find within herself. I believe that after a long struggle, she found a great sense of victory that she can forever be proud of, in what could have been a very dark end to her life.
June 21, 2024
It almost feels disrespectful to rate and review this book which is such a graphic and therefore harrowing recounting of one woman’s lived experience of being abducted, forced into the sex trade and forced to endure the most despicable evil and violations of every kind.
Initially, my only criticism was that the writing style took me a while to get behind, as it is very factual with very short sentences such as “I did this” and “He said that” but now on reflection it makes so much sense - this is not a story but fact, something that happened to Anna (the anonymous author’s pseudonym) and tragically still happens to thousands of women and children to this day. There is no need for the author to use sensationalism or emotive language, the facts of the story are emotive enough.
Whilst this is a tough read at parts it brought me immense joy towards the end of the book as Anna escaped from her captors and they were ultimately brought to justice. Anna has gone on to have a vital role in bringing in new legislation which aims to prevent the sex trafficking trade from continuing to thrive and also bringing more justice to the perpetrators of these truly vile crimes.
To any future reader, I would warn that this book spares very little detail and is ultimately not for the faint hearted. However, Anna’s story deserves and needs to be heard by all to understand the true effects that modern day sex trafficking has on its victims.
Initially, my only criticism was that the writing style took me a while to get behind, as it is very factual with very short sentences such as “I did this” and “He said that” but now on reflection it makes so much sense - this is not a story but fact, something that happened to Anna (the anonymous author’s pseudonym) and tragically still happens to thousands of women and children to this day. There is no need for the author to use sensationalism or emotive language, the facts of the story are emotive enough.
Whilst this is a tough read at parts it brought me immense joy towards the end of the book as Anna escaped from her captors and they were ultimately brought to justice. Anna has gone on to have a vital role in bringing in new legislation which aims to prevent the sex trafficking trade from continuing to thrive and also bringing more justice to the perpetrators of these truly vile crimes.
To any future reader, I would warn that this book spares very little detail and is ultimately not for the faint hearted. However, Anna’s story deserves and needs to be heard by all to understand the true effects that modern day sex trafficking has on its victims.
January 2, 2021
At first, the writing style of this book was off-putting. While it wasn't in broken English, the writing was quite stilted: I did this; I did that; I did this; I did that, but after a while, I got so sucked into Anna's story that I didn't notice as much. (Or perhaps the writing improved.)
This is a harrowing tale that is so unbelievably sad. To think that if someone is lucky enough to escape from being trafficked, they are viewed as a criminal--and a prostitute--instead of a victim. To paraphrase Anna, "I was a prostitute like someone pushed out of a plane is a sky jumper." So tragic and judgmental. I'm also sad Anna never got the help she needed after escaping. I'd expected her to be whisked immediately to a doctor's office, and get police help and therapy, but that wasn't the case.
I did like her sarcastic, bitter asides to the reader. She's furious about what happened to her, and rightly so. We should all be furious about what happened to her and others like her, and that it's allowed to continue. The pitiful sentences her kidnappers received are stomach-turning.
I'm not sure why this book is attributed solely to her ghostwriter on Goodreads. It made it more difficult to find the listing for the book, and Anna should get credit too, even though she uses a pseudonym. It's Anna's story, and she had the courage to tell it.
This is a harrowing tale that is so unbelievably sad. To think that if someone is lucky enough to escape from being trafficked, they are viewed as a criminal--and a prostitute--instead of a victim. To paraphrase Anna, "I was a prostitute like someone pushed out of a plane is a sky jumper." So tragic and judgmental. I'm also sad Anna never got the help she needed after escaping. I'd expected her to be whisked immediately to a doctor's office, and get police help and therapy, but that wasn't the case.
I did like her sarcastic, bitter asides to the reader. She's furious about what happened to her, and rightly so. We should all be furious about what happened to her and others like her, and that it's allowed to continue. The pitiful sentences her kidnappers received are stomach-turning.
I'm not sure why this book is attributed solely to her ghostwriter on Goodreads. It made it more difficult to find the listing for the book, and Anna should get credit too, even though she uses a pseudonym. It's Anna's story, and she had the courage to tell it.
June 30, 2023
She went through hell and back and my heart broke whilst reading what she went though. However, she never gave up and she came out the other end. What a blessing! She really is inspirational. Xx
June 17, 2019
HEAVY. Oh, so heavy.
This book is not for the faintest of hearts. It is deep, brutal, painful, and heartbreaking. It is also SCARY.
While almost 2/3rds into this book, I suddenly remembered an episode from my own life. I was about 19 or 20 years old and had just moved to the U.S. about 2-3 years ago (when I was 17). I was living with my mom in an average 7-story red-brick building in Brooklyn (New York), populated mainly by various immigrants from all walks of life (from Eastern European to Asian countries.)
It was about 8 PM in the evening and my mom was not yet due to come home from work for another hour or so. Suddenly I heard someone ringing my doorbell. I went to the door thinking that it must be my next door neighbor who asked me to help him out with his homework earlier that day. As I started opening the door, I saw a guy standing in front of me with a blank expression on his face. He was about average height, had brown eyes, pale skin, and dark hair. I took one quick glance at him, and without even yet realizing what I was doing, I started quickly shutting the door. And as I was closing the door, I saw a hand flying towards the door following the body of another man who was hiding behind the wall to my left (my door opened inwards).
It took literally HALF A SECOND--half a second to shut the door without giving that second man a chance to put his foot down and prevent me from locking it in his face. I've never had this reaction before (opening the door without inquiring what do people want from me--i.e. why they came). It was just pure gut instinct.
I've never seen these two men before and I have no clue what they wanted. All I can say is--I am VERY glad that I did not stay to find out.
Oh and--I realized it only now while reading this heart-rending book, almost 15 years later, that I was a perfect target for the sex trafficking business: a very young, skinny and pretty, Eastern European girl with a broken English (at that time). I only had my mom and my aunt in the country, who were immigrants themselves. My heart just stopped when this old & forgotten episode resurfaced in my mind while I was learning about Anna's experiences.
Please read this book and spread the knowledge--because yes, it CAN happen to literally ANYONE, and especially young and vulnerable girls.
Anna, I will pray for you and keep you forever in my heart and my thoughts. I hope that you will find peace, security, and happiness, that you deserve so much.
This book is not for the faintest of hearts. It is deep, brutal, painful, and heartbreaking. It is also SCARY.
While almost 2/3rds into this book, I suddenly remembered an episode from my own life. I was about 19 or 20 years old and had just moved to the U.S. about 2-3 years ago (when I was 17). I was living with my mom in an average 7-story red-brick building in Brooklyn (New York), populated mainly by various immigrants from all walks of life (from Eastern European to Asian countries.)
It was about 8 PM in the evening and my mom was not yet due to come home from work for another hour or so. Suddenly I heard someone ringing my doorbell. I went to the door thinking that it must be my next door neighbor who asked me to help him out with his homework earlier that day. As I started opening the door, I saw a guy standing in front of me with a blank expression on his face. He was about average height, had brown eyes, pale skin, and dark hair. I took one quick glance at him, and without even yet realizing what I was doing, I started quickly shutting the door. And as I was closing the door, I saw a hand flying towards the door following the body of another man who was hiding behind the wall to my left (my door opened inwards).
It took literally HALF A SECOND--half a second to shut the door without giving that second man a chance to put his foot down and prevent me from locking it in his face. I've never had this reaction before (opening the door without inquiring what do people want from me--i.e. why they came). It was just pure gut instinct.
I've never seen these two men before and I have no clue what they wanted. All I can say is--I am VERY glad that I did not stay to find out.
Oh and--I realized it only now while reading this heart-rending book, almost 15 years later, that I was a perfect target for the sex trafficking business: a very young, skinny and pretty, Eastern European girl with a broken English (at that time). I only had my mom and my aunt in the country, who were immigrants themselves. My heart just stopped when this old & forgotten episode resurfaced in my mind while I was learning about Anna's experiences.
Please read this book and spread the knowledge--because yes, it CAN happen to literally ANYONE, and especially young and vulnerable girls.
Anna, I will pray for you and keep you forever in my heart and my thoughts. I hope that you will find peace, security, and happiness, that you deserve so much.
April 21, 2022
This is a story I will never, ever, ever forget. I think any woman could tell you she fears of being trafficked and I avoided the subject for so long, thinking it would be too hard to learn about. I was right. This book was hard to read, it was incredibly frustrating, but oh so, so important.
For a little while in the story I wanted to yell at Anna : "Tell the aiport security! The customs people!!" Or the police. Or anyone. Because she did have the chance. About halfway through the book, Anna calls out the reader about this. Telling us we don't know. We have no idea. And she is so right. But it hurt to know how powerless victims feel, even if they do have power.
At some point in Anna's story, she meets a man who tells her "I can't believe this... Here ? In Belfast?" and I was thinking the whole time about what might be happening in my city as I was reading this book. We don't see it enough. It is everywhere.
I can't think of a book that impacted me as much as this book did. I will never forget.
For a little while in the story I wanted to yell at Anna : "Tell the aiport security! The customs people!!" Or the police. Or anyone. Because she did have the chance. About halfway through the book, Anna calls out the reader about this. Telling us we don't know. We have no idea. And she is so right. But it hurt to know how powerless victims feel, even if they do have power.
At some point in Anna's story, she meets a man who tells her "I can't believe this... Here ? In Belfast?" and I was thinking the whole time about what might be happening in my city as I was reading this book. We don't see it enough. It is everywhere.
I can't think of a book that impacted me as much as this book did. I will never forget.
August 31, 2019
Review for Slave by Anna and Jason Johnson
A harrowing true story about Anna who was abducted and sold into the sex industry and how she fought to change laws. This book brings to light some of the evil and disgraceful things thay women forced into this industry are out through. It was well written but not an easy read as was expected. It goes into details of the abuse Anna went through. Well done to Anna for being strong enough to tell her story over and over.
Anyone else read this book?
A harrowing true story about Anna who was abducted and sold into the sex industry and how she fought to change laws. This book brings to light some of the evil and disgraceful things thay women forced into this industry are out through. It was well written but not an easy read as was expected. It goes into details of the abuse Anna went through. Well done to Anna for being strong enough to tell her story over and over.
Anyone else read this book?
March 6, 2024
Wow. This book was an incredibly shocking read. I felt so much heartbreak for Anna and anger towards the monsters who put her through all those horrendous things. This book really opened my eyes to what is going on around us, things I thought only happened in third world countries. I think this book is a must read for everyone.
July 25, 2020
This was brutal, Anna’s story will stay with me forever.
March 20, 2025
Heel heftig
June 27, 2023
A shocking true story from a very brave woman. Must read.
May 21, 2018
Eye opener
I randomly got this book , but what a heart breaking story but such an eye opener ... It isn't a book I could recommend for light pleasant reading ..... But I'm glad I read it ,it has opened my eyes to what s really happening things some would never believe happen let alone in your town.. And sadly this is one story ...
I randomly got this book , but what a heart breaking story but such an eye opener ... It isn't a book I could recommend for light pleasant reading ..... But I'm glad I read it ,it has opened my eyes to what s really happening things some would never believe happen let alone in your town.. And sadly this is one story ...
December 12, 2018
Distressing, shocking but also important story. You're feeling sorry and proud at the same time for Anna while reading this book.
October 21, 2018
Terrifying to think this can happen in broad daylight in our country ☹️ I don't know if it's the translation but I didn't like the way this was written, it is quite long winded
January 1, 2019
En obehaglig historia men framförd med en så avtrubbad ton att den inte berör på det vis jag hade hoppats.
July 13, 2020
Emotional, heartbreaking, insightful and terrifying. I felt her pain and I felt her sadness from start to finish.
May 16, 2021
'You can look and you can speak or, more comfortably, you can look away.'
Wow...what a story.
Slave is the true story of Anna being kidnapped off a London street, trafficked to Ireland as a sex slave, her eventual escape, dealings with (unhelpful) authorities and pursuit and capture of her traffickers.
Anna tells her story in a surprisingly frank and clarifying way, without holding back. I am extremely impressed with the way she has managed to get her story on paper, so detailed, so soon after her horrendous ordeal, and I think anyone who manages to work their way through this story about a hell on earth, will learn from her courage and strength in the face of evil.
Content warnings:
Sexual content: extreme (graphic sexual violence)
Coarse language: relatively extreme
Violence and gore: no gore, but real life violence
Triggers: sexual violence and pornographic descriptions, mental & physical abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, slavery
Conclusion
Human Trafficking is not a new theme for me, but reading the (graphic!) details of any survivor's story is still so very confronting and horrifying each and every single time. This book is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to have your eyes opened to the reality of modern day slavery all over the world, then this may be the story to help you do so.
If you've read this and you want to know more about modern day human trafficking and what you can do, I can recommend having a look at Operation Underground Railroad, who even offer an online training to teach you how to recognize possible trafficking victims.
Wow...what a story.
Slave is the true story of Anna being kidnapped off a London street, trafficked to Ireland as a sex slave, her eventual escape, dealings with (unhelpful) authorities and pursuit and capture of her traffickers.
Anna tells her story in a surprisingly frank and clarifying way, without holding back. I am extremely impressed with the way she has managed to get her story on paper, so detailed, so soon after her horrendous ordeal, and I think anyone who manages to work their way through this story about a hell on earth, will learn from her courage and strength in the face of evil.
Content warnings:
Sexual content: extreme (graphic sexual violence)
Coarse language: relatively extreme
Violence and gore: no gore, but real life violence
Triggers: sexual violence and pornographic descriptions, mental & physical abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, slavery
Conclusion
Human Trafficking is not a new theme for me, but reading the (graphic!) details of any survivor's story is still so very confronting and horrifying each and every single time. This book is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to have your eyes opened to the reality of modern day slavery all over the world, then this may be the story to help you do so.
If you've read this and you want to know more about modern day human trafficking and what you can do, I can recommend having a look at Operation Underground Railroad, who even offer an online training to teach you how to recognize possible trafficking victims.
July 28, 2019
Anna grew up in Romania with her famous grandmother who was a classy singer. After her grandmother died, she went to live with her mom and her mom's husband. When an opportunity comes up for her to go to England, she takes it. She wants to go to school there and begins her own cleaning business.
While living in a place filled with other Romanians, she is warned about a group of people who live there. She keeps to herself, but they snatch her off the streets while she is walking. They threaten her and force her (not without quite a fight) to be sold for sex.
This whole book is filled with depths of the torments that one goes through while in captivity and forced into a daily life of rape and constant physical and sexual abuse. Anna was sold within a brothel in London and various brothels throughout Ireland. It is only through a miracle that she was able to escape her captors after several months.
While this whole book was really well written (though there were a few things editors missed), reading it was hard. I have read dozens of books about human trafficking with several rape accounts over the past 12 years (definitely read about 100 or more now), but after this one, I need a long break. It was too much. It is horrific what she went through and to learn about some of the after effects from her abuse too. I couldn't take it.
3.5 stars
While living in a place filled with other Romanians, she is warned about a group of people who live there. She keeps to herself, but they snatch her off the streets while she is walking. They threaten her and force her (not without quite a fight) to be sold for sex.
This whole book is filled with depths of the torments that one goes through while in captivity and forced into a daily life of rape and constant physical and sexual abuse. Anna was sold within a brothel in London and various brothels throughout Ireland. It is only through a miracle that she was able to escape her captors after several months.
While this whole book was really well written (though there were a few things editors missed), reading it was hard. I have read dozens of books about human trafficking with several rape accounts over the past 12 years (definitely read about 100 or more now), but after this one, I need a long break. It was too much. It is horrific what she went through and to learn about some of the after effects from her abuse too. I couldn't take it.
3.5 stars
April 29, 2020
Gut wrenchingly vivid, and heartbreakingly true.
I could seriously leave my review at those 5 words, but this book deserves more than that. I wish it wasn't a true story, I wish that what happened to Anna didn't happen, and wasn't still happening to thousands of people around the world.
This book is Anna's story, her story of how she was taken off the street in London, on her way to have her dinner break at home. She was taken, because the people that were watching her knew she wouldn't be missed. Imagine that?
She was shipped to Ireland where she was forced to be raped for money. Not have sex, to be brutally beaten and violated by these men, and all the money taken from her by her Pimps. No food, barely any water and no sleep. She fought back at first, imagine having to give in to this as there is no way out.
This book really does feel like its Anna telling you her story, the way its written. Honest. I hate it, I hate that its real.
She does have an ending. Not a happy ending, but an end. She helps the police to catch her pimps, this is not a spoiler! And she makes something of herself, but this story will never leave her, and honestly, it will stay in my mind for a while too.
I could seriously leave my review at those 5 words, but this book deserves more than that. I wish it wasn't a true story, I wish that what happened to Anna didn't happen, and wasn't still happening to thousands of people around the world.
This book is Anna's story, her story of how she was taken off the street in London, on her way to have her dinner break at home. She was taken, because the people that were watching her knew she wouldn't be missed. Imagine that?
She was shipped to Ireland where she was forced to be raped for money. Not have sex, to be brutally beaten and violated by these men, and all the money taken from her by her Pimps. No food, barely any water and no sleep. She fought back at first, imagine having to give in to this as there is no way out.
This book really does feel like its Anna telling you her story, the way its written. Honest. I hate it, I hate that its real.
She does have an ending. Not a happy ending, but an end. She helps the police to catch her pimps, this is not a spoiler! And she makes something of herself, but this story will never leave her, and honestly, it will stay in my mind for a while too.
September 26, 2019
Anna is not a prostitute, she was a kidnapped slave who been repeatedly beaten and raped.
•
Sex trafficker made her as prostitute but she get scolded by public for being a prostitute . She was sold for €30,000 and she estimated that was paid within her first 13 days, the money men paid to have and directly give to her pimps. So, how many men rapes her per day?
•
She ask herself few times ‘what could i have done? Do you think it would have been wise to ..." etc .But they threaten her with her family’s safety and death. 9 months in sexual slavery have left her permanently injured and she still suffers from terrifying flashbacks
•
But she's looking forward now. Salute her determination of overcoming her past experience and work part time job just to fullfill her dream on becoming a lawyer to FORM A NEW LAW against the sex trafficker and the customer. In 2015, she helped to change the law in Northern Ireland ‘The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act’ where the act of buying sex is a crime.
•
Sex trafficker made her as prostitute but she get scolded by public for being a prostitute . She was sold for €30,000 and she estimated that was paid within her first 13 days, the money men paid to have and directly give to her pimps. So, how many men rapes her per day?
•
She ask herself few times ‘what could i have done? Do you think it would have been wise to ..." etc .But they threaten her with her family’s safety and death. 9 months in sexual slavery have left her permanently injured and she still suffers from terrifying flashbacks
•
But she's looking forward now. Salute her determination of overcoming her past experience and work part time job just to fullfill her dream on becoming a lawyer to FORM A NEW LAW against the sex trafficker and the customer. In 2015, she helped to change the law in Northern Ireland ‘The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act’ where the act of buying sex is a crime.
January 17, 2019
Truly a horrific and heartbreaking story. I commend Anna for her bravery and strength for sharing and reliving it over and over again. I cannot begin to fathom what I would have done in her position and the way this book is written really makes the reader question themselves. Throughout the book she shares her story with us and as she does she asks us "what could i have done? Do you think it would have been wise to ..." etc And i asked myself throughout "what would i have done?" and I can honestly say from reading her experience, I have no idea, I probably would have done exactly what she did. She lived in constant fear, afraid if she did try to flee how far would she even get? And if she did try to flee and did get caught a much worse punishment would be doled out for her. Overall Anna is a extremely brave, strong, and resilient person, and I hope wherever she is now and however she's living is exactly how she wants.
November 15, 2019
Well..... A true and harrowing eye-opener of a read. Shocking at times but one I just wanted to keep reading.
Anna, an ordinary young Romanian girl, living and working in London was kidnapped off the streets as she walked home from work. She was threatened, beaten and sold into the sex slave industry, raped and forced to have sex with thousands of men.
Anna recounts her story of her 9 months of captivity as a sex slave as she is forced to endure a daily life of rape, sexual and physical abuse. Anna has a tremendous strong spirit, and somehow despite everything does not allow her abusers to break her. A chance meeting provides her with a means to escape. Scared of everything in the outside world, Anna finds the courage to start to try and move on with her life, putting her trust in a stranger.
A good read, uncomfortable at times and also terrifying to know that this still goes on around the world.
Anna, an ordinary young Romanian girl, living and working in London was kidnapped off the streets as she walked home from work. She was threatened, beaten and sold into the sex slave industry, raped and forced to have sex with thousands of men.
Anna recounts her story of her 9 months of captivity as a sex slave as she is forced to endure a daily life of rape, sexual and physical abuse. Anna has a tremendous strong spirit, and somehow despite everything does not allow her abusers to break her. A chance meeting provides her with a means to escape. Scared of everything in the outside world, Anna finds the courage to start to try and move on with her life, putting her trust in a stranger.
A good read, uncomfortable at times and also terrifying to know that this still goes on around the world.
September 22, 2022
This was a difficult book to get through yet I could not get myself to stop reading it.
Anna's story leaves the reader filled with utter heartbreak and devastation, yet you keep reading out of the hope that she will find her way out of her horror.
I think that what makes the story so difficult to get through is that the reader is getting a firsthand survivor account instead of a simple statistic that flashes across the screen while watching a movie in which the hero has saved the day. This is not the case. While the perpetrators faced prison time, not enough, in my opinion, the reality is that this is the everyday life of so many other girls out there.
Slave summed up the trauma that continues long after one is lucky enough to find a way out of sex slavery.
This is definitely a book that will stay will me for a very long time. Not something that anyone who reads it is bound to forget and move away from.
Anna's story leaves the reader filled with utter heartbreak and devastation, yet you keep reading out of the hope that she will find her way out of her horror.
I think that what makes the story so difficult to get through is that the reader is getting a firsthand survivor account instead of a simple statistic that flashes across the screen while watching a movie in which the hero has saved the day. This is not the case. While the perpetrators faced prison time, not enough, in my opinion, the reality is that this is the everyday life of so many other girls out there.
Slave summed up the trauma that continues long after one is lucky enough to find a way out of sex slavery.
This is definitely a book that will stay will me for a very long time. Not something that anyone who reads it is bound to forget and move away from.
July 21, 2023
A shocking, horrifying and heartbreaking true story. It’s hard to believe that this is happening in the 21st century and that man (and woman) can be so utterly cruel to their fellow humans. Although very disturbing, this story needed to be told, and lots of people need to hear it!! Anna tells her story with dignity and courage.
I did initially find it very puzzling as to why she allowed her captors to take her to Ireland in the first place, because she had to go to Luton airport and get on a public flight. I know that they had threatened to harm her mother, but surely she could have alerted someone? As the story progresses it becomes clear that she had limited communication skills in English, and I understand that this, along with the threat, prevented her from asking for help.
So sad, but I am really pleased that she’s helped to change the law, and that she has made a new life for herself.
I did initially find it very puzzling as to why she allowed her captors to take her to Ireland in the first place, because she had to go to Luton airport and get on a public flight. I know that they had threatened to harm her mother, but surely she could have alerted someone? As the story progresses it becomes clear that she had limited communication skills in English, and I understand that this, along with the threat, prevented her from asking for help.
So sad, but I am really pleased that she’s helped to change the law, and that she has made a new life for herself.
January 15, 2019
What a read. It was so horrific and beyond belief, yet it happens now in so many towns across Ireland. Anna lifts the lid on human trafficking within Europe, and her own journey of being targeted, kidnapped, and held for nine months against her will as she was raped, beaten, belittled and abused.
Anna was let down by so many people in her life, and this is what traffickers prey on; women who won’t be missed. I was angry with her mother, with her assailants, with the police, and all the red tape in her way. Even when she helped the police extensively, she was more or less left to fend for herself.
Despite escaping and gaining her freedom, I don’t think there’s ever truly happy endings in these instances. I wish Anna all the happiness in the world, and hope she has some degree of inner peace now.
Anna was let down by so many people in her life, and this is what traffickers prey on; women who won’t be missed. I was angry with her mother, with her assailants, with the police, and all the red tape in her way. Even when she helped the police extensively, she was more or less left to fend for herself.
Despite escaping and gaining her freedom, I don’t think there’s ever truly happy endings in these instances. I wish Anna all the happiness in the world, and hope she has some degree of inner peace now.
June 2, 2022
A harrowing story. It is written well in my opinion, feels as if Anna is telling her story to you personally as she had done thousands of times, you pick up on moments where she is angry towards the ignorance of so many view points she has been met with. It is a story of an incredibly strong woman, a sad story that should not be true. I read in 2021 that Anna gave up on trying to clear her criminal name as the justice system keep making it increasingly difficult. She has to live with the fact that they will forever call her brothle keeper. Anna, you are beautiful inside and out, and strong on more then just the basic levels. You are extraordinary for what you have done to help. You are not a criminal but a savior and a trailblazer for what you have done to help aid in stopping sex trafficking.
January 28, 2019
I couldn’t put this book down. It’s a million miles away from the sort of genre I usually read. But the story was utterly compelling. Although naive, I had no idea that things like this happen so regularly and so severely on our doorsteps. Interesting to read about the depths of human depravity - and taking positives from it, how ‘Anna’ managed to escape and move on. Poor girl, she must be seriously damaged from such an experience (both mentally and physically). The same for all the girls who have experienced such torrid times.
I hope the changes in the law mean that such trafficking is eventually eradicated in our country, and then the world.
A good read, that was uncomfortable at times. Highly recommended.
I hope the changes in the law mean that such trafficking is eventually eradicated in our country, and then the world.
A good read, that was uncomfortable at times. Highly recommended.
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