A woman who was trafficked out of the UK and sexually exploited has now inspired an exhibition to highlight the plight of modern day slavery victims.
Liverpool International Slavery Museum (ISM) has launched the Freedom Quilt exhibition, which aims to bring to light the struggles of an estimated 50 million victims, worldwide, of modern day slavery,
The exhibition runs from Friday, October 14 until March 31, 2023 in the ISM in the Royal Albert Dock. A quilt hand-stitched by 60 women survivors of slavery from across the UK, consists of 247 squares created using iconic fabrics supplied by Liberty to form three distinctive regional quilts from London, Birmingham and Manchester.
It represents a powerful story of reflection, growth, empowerment and embodies a poignant message of strength and unity. Each square on the Freedom Quilt was made by participants and graduates of the Sophie Hayes Foundation (SHF) employability programme.
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Red Godfrey-Sagoo CEO of the SHF told the ECHO : "The message is ultimately people are not invisible. They have to be visible and organisations and governments have to work harder to make sure those voices are heard.
"Today is to really stress the fact 130,000 people in the UK, as an estimate, are currently enslaved. Why Sophie Hayes, Sophie was white British and she got trafficked out of the UK. So, all the misconceptions about trafficking and modern slavery happening in far away countries to far away people; totally not right and totally not a reality".
Red added: "For some reason the message doesn't always get out. When we talk to people they're constantly surprised this goes on in the UK.
"We have a way of framing that to be able to say Sophie was white British and she was trafficked out of the UK. Therefore it’s something that could happen to anybody, anytime, any religion, any age and any ethnicity. There is no typical victim or survivor".
Sophie Hayes Foundation was founded in 2011 by Sophie, a British girl trafficked to Italy for sexual exploitation. It’s the only organisation in the UK focused solely on ensuring all survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery achieve complete and sustainable freedom, through coaching and skills development that leads to education, employment, and independence.
Survivor, Sharee said: “The Freedom Quilt has given me hope and relieved my anxiety and depression. The quilt gives me a sense of relaxation and the hope that one day there will be a new morning where hope is waiting.”
Survivor, Larra said: "For my square, I stitched with colours that symbolise women with diligence, resilience, initiative, and integrity. These are the things that empower the world".
Survivor, Rani said: "Nothing is impossible. After contributing to the Freedom Quilt my confidence has increased".
CEO of Liberty, Adil Mehboob-Kahn said: "The reason we work with Sophie Hayes, family and charities is because they’re helping people right now who come out of the trafficking situation and are survivors. Many charities and partnerships in the UK are focused on the problem.
"I've learnt re-entering society after having been freed from trafficking is one of the most critical pivotal moments and it's one that survivors of trafficking find the most difficult. You are not alone in that moment.
"While we continue the fight against trafficking at the onset. There is also help out there for those that have suffered".
Paul Reid, head of the ISM said: “The quilt is an incredible representation of liberation and hope, that we’re pleased to be welcoming. Each square represents a very particular and personal story of overcoming struggle and looking ahead to a brighter future.
"The sheer scale of the quilt also acts as a powerful reminder of the scourge of modern slavery and the devastating effects of which are often hidden in plain sight".
The Sophie Hayes Foundation aims to raise £120,000 through donations. 100% of money raised goes towards SHF programmes, providing coaching and education for survivors that leads to employment.
To donate please visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/freedomquilt
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