Enabling women who have been trafficked to own their lives

We’re delighted to share that Own My Life now offers a brand-new set of resources designed especially for organisations working with women and girls who have been trafficked. These materials slot straight into our existing Own My Life course, so teams can begin using them immediately to deepen the support they offer women.

Why these new resources matter

While most Own My Life organisations focus on women subjected to abuse by a partner, we know that women who have been traffickeds face many of the same challenges—and some unique ones. Our new resourcesL

• Reflect the full range of harms women face:

  • Trafficked into or around the UK by a partner or family member.

  • Lured here with false promises of work.

  • Coerced or exploited after travelling “voluntarily".

  
  

• Cover multiple forms of exploitation:

  • Sexual exploitation.

  • Forced labour or domestic servitude.

  • “Debt bondage,” document retention, and other control tactics.

  
  

• Highlight varied points of first contact:

  • When the exploitative relationship begins as a “romantic partner”.

  • When it starts with a seemingly helpful friend or employer.

  
  

By working through these realistic scenarios, Own My Life facilitators can support women to make sense of their lives.

Developing the resource in partnership with Ella’s

We’re hugely grateful to Regina Medina Mora Urquiza at Ella’s (http://ellas.org.uk) for her expert input in developing these resources. Ella’s have been running safe houses and specialist support for trafficked women since 2018—and their staff first attended Own My Life training in 2020. Regina’s insights into the day-to-day realities of women who have been trafficked ensured our new materials are both accurate and inclusive.

How to access these new materials

1. Attend a five-day Own My Life training (in-person or virtual). All participating staff receive login credentials for our secure e-Hub.

2. Visit the “Traffic Lights” section of the Other Resources e-Hub page. You’ll find:

3. Integrate immediately into your one-to-one and group-work courses.

If your organisation already has Own My Life–trained staff, simply log in and head to the Traffic Lights resources—no further training required. If you’re new to Own My Life, please get in touch to book your team onto our next five-day course.

Moving forward, together

Women who have been trafficked often arrive at our doors carrying fear, shame, and confusion—yet they share the same hope for safety, self-determination, and a future free from exploitation. By combining evidence-based exercises on power, choice, and resilience with trafficking-specific scenarios, Own My Life empowers you staff to walk alongside women at every step of their journey.

We look forward to partnering with more organisations to ensure every woman—no matter how she came to be harmed—can reclaim ownership of her life.

Get started today: CLICK HERE to book your next training, or log in to thee-Hub to download the new trafficking resources now.