My family are sex workers - education saved me
Eliska Tanzer’s mother was a sex worker in Slovakia, her father was a Nazi sympathiser. Aged 13 she was trafficked to the UK where she fulfilled her dream of going to school.
Eliska Tanzer was born in Slovakia into a very unusual family. Her mother’s family were Romany sex workers, while her absent father was a Nazi sympathiser. The local school refused to educate her because of her heritage, so Eliska grew up illiterate. When she was 13 Eliska was trafficked into Britain, where despite suffering exploitation and sexual violence, she was able to gain an education and become a writer. She spoke to Jo Fidgen about her life. This programme contains descriptions of child exploitation and sexual violence which some listeners may find distressing. It was first broadcast in February 2020.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this programme, you can find details of organisations offering information and support at BBC Action line.
Get in touch: [email protected]
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Katy Takatsuki
(Photo: A lone woman stands in a misty underground tunnel. Credit: Getty Images)
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