I'm running the Bucharest Marathon to help stop trafficking in Europe and beyond.

Shockingly, over 50 million children, women and men are held in slavery today. And trafficking isn't just happening a long way away – it’s happening right here in the UK and across Europe.

145,000 people are living in slavery in Romania. Not only is this number incredibly high, but behind every number and figure is a name, a story, and a face. This is Mara’s* story:

19-year-old Mara was persuaded by a family to travel to the UK for a job opportunity. But the promise of a better life was a lie and they instead trafficked her, forcing her into sexual exploitation at their home and other places in the UK, taking the money for themselves.

They subjected her to physical and verbal abuse, frequently beating her during the seven-month ordeal.

After one particularly brutal assault, Mara managed to escape. A neighbour called the police, who arrested the traffickers as they attempted to flee.

IJM worked with West Midlands Police to compile evidence against four traffickers and support Mara through the court process. In 2023, three traffickers were convicted for sexually exploiting Mara in the UK. But one of the traffickers hadn’t just exploited Mara – he’d sexually abused her himself.

Supported by IJM, Mara decided to keep pursuing justice. Her remarkable bravery paid off: in a re-trial earlier this year at Birmingham Crown Court, the trafficker was given an additional 14-year sentence for rape – bringing his total sentence up to 22 years in a momentous conviction. Nothing can take away what happened to her, but receiving justice restored Mara’s confidence.

When asked about testifying in court in the re-trial, Mara said, ‘I'll come as many times as needed because I'm not scared anymore.’ Mara’s attitude about herself has changed a lot, she’s such a bubbly person. She’s a wonderful mum and now she gets to raise her child without fear.

Thanks to the support of people like you, IJM has worked with police and partners to bring over 95,000 people to safety from slavery and violence, and seen slavery decrease by up to 86% in places where they’ve worked.

Your donation will help build a world free from trafficking and violence.

Learn more at IJMUK.org