Finding freedom: support for survivors of modern slavery

“A woman was charged trafficking 15 young people into Australia under the guise of a scholarship. But instead they ended up unpaid, working on farms, living in squalor in shipping containers right here in our country,” says The Freedom Hub Founder and CEO Sally Irwin.

The Freedom Hub’s Survivor School is Australia’s only long-term, wrap-around care program dedicated to supporting survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking. Its mission is to help survivors recover from trauma, rebuild independence, and prepare for lasting employment.

“Nine of those 15 people have been in our Survivor School, and what used to be really helpful and hopeful conversations about freedom are now filled with fear about visas and lost family, lost dreams,” says Sally. “These young people came here believing that they were doing the right thing, but they trusted the wrong people.”

Details of the human trafficking and debt bondage case

A woman who allegedly lured people from Papua New Guinea to Australia with the promise of fully-funded scholarships has been charged with human trafficking, ABC News reported on 12 June 2025.

‘Australian Federal Police allege 56-year-old Binta Abubakar forced 15 people – aged between 19 and their mid-30s – to work on farms against their will instead of receiving the education they had been promised. Police allege she also forced the group to live in “oppressive conditions”, including some in shipping containers… She has since been charged with more than 30 offences, including human trafficking, deceptive recruitment and debt bondage…

It is alleged she brought 15 PNG nationals to Australia between March 2021 and July 2023 by offering fully-funded educational scholarships. Police allege the students were then forced to sign legal documents and agree to repay costs associated with tuition, airfares, visa applications, insurance and legal fees, which placed them in excessive debt.

Rather than receiving the education they were promised, Ms Abubakar allegedly forced the group to work on farms at different locations in south-east Queensland, including Caboolture and the Lockyer Valley. It is alleged she received wages on their behalf, which she withheld, claiming it was repayment for their debts.

AFP Detective Superintendent Adrian Telfer said she allegedly threatened the group with deportation if they did not comply with her instructions. “She also allegedly threatened family members back in PNG,” he said.’

Arrest causes anxiety for survivors

The nine Freedom Hub clients involved in the case are all based in Queensland.

“We focus on their future, not their past, because everybody else focuses on their past – caseworkers, doctors, Australian Federal Police, lawyers,” explains Sally. “We’ve deliberately built The Freedom Hub to be about their future and for them to be able to work towards what their dreams and goals are, why they came to our country.

“We’d been working with them for three to four months and then the news broke. They all went from being future-focused – some of them are actually studying, which is what they came here for – our conversations went from their positive futures to them being terrified. ‘Now that this woman’s been arrested we’ve got to face her again, we have to go to court.’ They’re worried about their visa situations. Worried they’ll have to return to their home country.

“Let me read what some of the survivors have said. One says: ‘I’m afraid for me and my family and what my life will look like, and I’m scared of where I’ll end up.’

“Another said: ‘I thought I was helping myself and those I love but now I fear for all of us.’

“Another said: ‘I don’t know what the future’s going to bring.’

Working toward a brighter future

When people first join the Survivor School they are encouraged to talk about their hopes and dreams, which inform a success plan – essentially life goals broken down into measurable actions.

“Part one of the course we run is ‘Our Community’, we get them on buses and take them around, show them how to catch public transport, where the libraries are,” says Sally. “We explain to them what resources and services are available. We go to the zoo, teach them about Australian animals.

“We try to have two or three people in a class because it’s nice for peer support. They become very good friends, in fact often they end up moving in together which is lovely. We try and build a community, we encourage them to come as often as possible.”

The unique difference of the program is that survivors are always welcome to come back, no matter how long it has been. “People have come back after years, wanting to improve their circumstances – they want a better job, more training, to study at TAFE, to be a nurse etc,” says Sally.

The Freedom Hub has helped around 200 survivors since opening 10 years ago. Often the alumni return for the Christmas party and other outings. “It’s great when the alumni come,” says Sally. “Newer clients are seeing people who have been through it, they’ve got jobs, gotten married, having children. We’ve got about 12 babies meeting together in mother’s groups. To have a child in another country shows amazing confidence.”

More about The Freedom Hub’s Survivor School

Community Grants recipient social enterprise The Freedom Hub exists to end modern slavery and help survivors rebuild their lives. 

At the heart of the Survivor School is a safe and supportive learning environment where survivors are guided through one-to-one mentoring, supported learning, and practical training. This approach allows survivors to progress at their own pace, feel valued, and rebuild trust. All classes are trauma-informed and tailored to meet the unique needs of participants.

The program also offers wellness workshops, peer support groups, and social outings, helping survivors gain confidence and reconnect with community life. Graduates are supported with work experience and employment pathways through The Freedom Hub’s carefully screened partner companies, ensuring their transition into the workforce is safe and sustainable.

“Our goal is to make sure every survivor feels uniquely cared for in our country,” says Sally.

About the Community Grants Program

Every year the Sisters of Charity Foundation provides grants to small not-for-profits across Australia, like The Freedom Hub, that use clever ways to fight disadvantage, loneliness, suffering and oppression. Learn more at Community Grants Program.