Published in the Bristol Globe - June 2013
MARYSE SUGIRA and REBECCA MEGSON
turn the spotlight on Bristol women who are determined to challenge the
despicable treatment faced by many women worldwide
ST Valentine’s Day will never be the same again.
This year it saw the start of One Billion Rising, a global campaign against
gender-based domestic violence.
It is the latest manifestation of a move dating back
to 1998 when a group of women in New York declared 14 February V-Day, for
Victory and Vagina as well as Valentine. The idea was to highlight all forms of
sexual violence including rape, incest and female genital mutilation.
In Bristol the gauntlet was taken up by Jodi Ahmed
who organised ‘flash mobs’ around the city to raise awareness about the number
of women hurt and killed by husbands and partners.
“One in four women have been violated in some way,”
says Jodi. “You can easily name four close friends, it could be your mum, sisters,
aunties, daughters.”
There were big demonstrations across the world, but
Jodi was disappointed at poor coverage by the UK media, and appalled to see
that when the issue was debated in Parliament only about five MPs were present.
“There is a high percentage of people thinking that
domestic violence is something that should not be spoken about,” she says. “But
it is not a private matter. Women who have experience domestic violence are frightened,
and few speak out when they have been victims.
“There is a lot you can do to support a friend in
that situation. Try to restore and increase their self-confidence and self-esteem
so they can stand up against domestic violence themselves.”
There is another silent group of women and children
in our midst. The police estimate there may be as many as 75 houses in Bristol
in which women, and some men, are trafficked for sex.
Gillian Douglas of Bristol City Council’s Safer
Bristol project says the true extent of trafficking in the city is unknown. The
victims are extremely vulnerable and unlikely to identify themselves. They fear
not only their traffickers, but the risk of deportation if identified to the
authorities. Some have take great risks to start a new life in Britain.
Frequently they are told they have incurred massive debts for their transport,
and to pay them off they are forced into various forms of exploitation. Some
are required to guard cannabis farms. Avon & Somerset police found 676 such
farms in 2012 alone.
Gateway
As a major transport hub, with an airport, two
mainline railway stations and major roads in all directions, Bristol is an
ideal gateway for the traffickers. The international trade in people is
estimated to be worth more than £20billion, on a par with drug smuggling and
the arms trade. In effect it means there are more slaves in the world today
than ever before, and one in eight are in Europe.
There have only been four police investigations
locally, but several women have now devoted their lives to the issue. Working
in an orphanage in Ukraine, Kate Garbers was horrified to discover that many of
the children would end up trafficked into the sex trade. Back in Bristol she
set up Unseen, which provides a safe house and support for trafficked women.
Jan Martin is another Bristolian who feels passionately
about this sickening trade. She set up a group called Bristol Anti-Sex Trafficking
in 2012. “I just can’t be a bystander,” she says. “Even if it takes the rest of
my life to change things for just one person, I have to do it.”
Trish Davidson was recovering from a serious illness
when she first heard about these modern forms of slavery while attending a talk
at her church.
“I was shocked to discover that slavery goes on
today, right here in Bristol,” she says. “I felt a calling. I had to get
involved and do something about it.”
Trish set up Unchosen, an anti-trafficking charity
to promote awareness through film campaigns. “I was incredibly impressed with
film as a medium for getting a difficult, challenging message across,” she
said.
A filmmaking competition run by Unchosen will screen
its winning entries during Anti-Slavery Week in October.
Jan Martin’s group have held some dramatic
‘happenings’ including painting a mural and holding a demonstration opposite
one of the city’s many massage parlours – often a front for prostitution.
Thanks to these women and their supporters, the city
council now has an anti-trafficking officer to galvanise authorities and rescue
agencies to work together.
Meanwhile Jodi Ahmed and her friends hope to put
together a scheme which will allow them to go into schools to talk about domestic
violence. As she says, the future is the the hands of the new generation.
• www.onebillionrising.org
• www.unseenuk.org
• www.unchosen.org.uk
