Caged: The Chinese girl, 18, was found in a cage by police (file photo)
A teenage sex slave rescued from a cage at a Birmingham brothel didn't even know which country she was in.
The Chinese girl, aged 18, was found locked in the cage after a raid by police.
Other shocking cases of trafficked sex slaves in the West Midlands include a 13-year-old boy from Vietnam whose grandfather sent him to the UK in a bid to secure him a better life.
Instead the boy was smuggled into the country in the back of a lorry by a gang, and then forced to work in the sex industry.
The shocking cases were revealed by Sister Helen Ryan, of St Mary’s Convent of Mercy in Handsworth, Birmingham.
She and her order help young victims of people trafficking - including the 18-year-old Chinese girl.
Charities say up to 100 young abuse victims are trafficked through the West Midlands each year (file photo of Birmingham city centre)
The nun, who is in her 60s, said: 'We have people knocking the door at all times of the day and night with these problems, but these types of issues are always hidden.
'I worked with a girl from China who is now being cared for. The police found her in a cage in a city brothel. She did not even know which country she was in.
'She was just 18 years old. Thankfully she is now in a safe place.
'One young boy was put in the back of a lorry by his grandad in Vietnam in the hope that he would get a better life.
'He was 13 years old and when he arrived in the West Midlands he was forced to work in the sex industry.
'These organised criminal gangs smuggle them into the country and then exploit them.'
Sister Helen Ryan, co-ordinator at St Mary's Convent of Mercy, said gangs would often get their victims hooked onto drugs
Sister Helen added: 'In many cases they get the girls hooked on drugs and then use the addiction to force them into the sex trade.
'The brothels they are forced to work in are across the city, but most of the need is centred on inner city areas.
'Most of the children and women who are trafficked here are from the Far East and Africa. But we also have girls brought in from countries in Eastern Europe.
'The biggest difficulty we have is getting them to talk about what has happened to them.
'They are embarrassed that they are in this position.'
Sister Helen arrived in Birmingham in 2003 for a three-year stay, but never left.
THE SISTERS OF MERCY
St Mary’s Convent of Mercy in Handsworth first opened its doors in 1841.
Local Catholic man John Hardman Snr, a stained glass master living in Handsworth at the time, donated the land and paid for the convent to be built.
Mr Hardman was a close friend of renowned architect Augustus Pugin who is also responsible for the building of St Chad’s Cathedral in the centre of Birmingham.
Hardman and Pugin worked together to build the convent in beautiful Gothic architecture.
There are currently six Sisters of Mercy based at the convent.
It costs more than £100,000 per year to keep the convent and its work running, but it does not take a penny of state funding.
There are more than 10,000 Sisters of Mercy in almost every part of the globe.
They devote their lives to help vulnerable people, particularly women and children.
St Mary’s Convent was recently awarded £5,000 from proceeds of crime seizures to help support crime victims.
The money will now go towards helping other young women and children brought into the city from abroad and forced into the evil sex trade.
The convent supports around 50 people a year, which includes victims of domestic abuse and forced marriage as well.
The former Ofsted inspector said: 'This is real mercy work. It is about reaching out to vulnerable people.
'The money we have secured is from ill gotten gains. We will put the money to good use and help vulnerable people across the city.'
Sister Helen added: 'We have an open door. The key is to connect with people from all cultures and faiths in the city and to provide an environment where we can talk about these difficult issues.
'We plan to reach out to them with classes like reading groups, cooking, needlework and language lessons to connect with people.
'We were set up here in 1841 to help the social needs. The needs are still here, but they are different now.'
Children’s charity Barnardo’s warned last year that Birmingham had become a hub for trafficking young people between UK cities.
The charity supported 100 young girls and five boys who were brought into and through the West Midlands for sexual exploitation.
Barnardo’s has commended the work of the police and council in Birmingham for protecting victims of child sexual exploitation.
The charity’s Midlands Director, Sam Monaghan, said: 'We would like to replicate what is happening in Birmingham and encourage more local authorities in the West Midlands to sign up.
'Barnardo’s has been actively campaigning for more help from central and local governments for these vulnerable girls and boys for a year now and we will not let it slide.
'Too many children from all walks of life can so quickly be caught up in a world of drugs, violence and sex - this is a horrendous thing to be happening to young people and we must continue to work together to do all we can to end it.'
Det Sgt Chris Bates from West Midlands Police, said the force would continue to offer a share of future proceeds of crime to other good causes.
He said: 'If you’re making money from crime then my officers are going to come after you and we will get that money.
'We’ll give it back to the community for people to use it for good causes.'
Last year, West Midlands Police seized more than £2.3 million in cash along, along with a further £2.6 million in property and assets.
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