Researching disturbing storylines
By Freya Barrington
Where does one begin when researching for books with a factual,
yet disturbing story line? One which has to portray the realities of your
subject material, while being mindful of the potential for causing distress to
readers.
In my debut book, Known to Social Services, my aim was
to weave a story, which would raise the profile in regard to the complex and
often thankless task undertaken by social workers. As an ex child protection
social worker I drew heavily on personal experience; sifting through the hundreds
of cases I had been involved with and choosing ones, which I felt depicted the
common themes of social work. Unsurprisingly,
domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, drug and alcohol issues featured
throughout. However, I also chose more controversial subjects, such as the
reprehensible practice of female genital mutilation (Female circumcision),
which is a growing issue in the UK. Striking the balance between providing an
honest yet non-gratuitous account of such an emotive, yet topical subject matter
was challenging.
For my research, I read extensively, and was numb with
horror at the almost insufferable first-hand accounts of women who have
undergone this tortuous procedure. In Known to Social Services, a mother
smuggles her child out of the UK for the purpose of being circumcised. I
wondered if this was too far-fetched, but only a week after the book was
published, a mother was arrested at Heathrow doing the very thing I had written
about in trying to take her daughter back to Somalia to be circumcised.
A combination of personal experience and relevant reading,
produced what I hoped was an honest and authentic glimpse of the realities of
front line social work.
My latest novel, Caught in Traffick is the sequel to Known
to Social Services, and was a more demanding book to write. The plot
revolves around a gang of child traffickers in Thailand who target and abduct
children for the sex trade. While I have experience and knowledge of child
sexual abuse, writing about the specifics of child trafficking was a new
challenge.
Conservative estimates put the figure of adults and children
currently enslaved by human trafficking at an astonishing 29 million; 27% of
this number are children. Human
trafficking has now surpassed the sale of illegal arms in terms of criminal
activity, and is a growing international problem, surpassed only by the drug
trade. I hoped that a novel based around
this heinous trade would contribute to raising awareness of it.
My choice of Thailand as a setting was deliberate. Rated as one of the worst countries in the
world for human trafficking; it has gained notoriety as a place where one can
live, free of the most basic moral codes of decency. With high profile cases
involving the victimisation and exploitation of children dating back many
decades, it is hardly surprising that Thailand has earned a reputation as a
sink hole of depravity.
That said, child trafficking is a worldwide problem. Who in
the UK can be ignorant of the scandals which took place in Rotherham and
Rochdale? Gangs of predominantly Asian men targeting, grooming and sexually
abusing young girls, and effectively trafficking them for the sex trade within
their own communities.
For research purposes, I read several books relating
directly to victims of the Rotherham and Rochdale cases; all were utterly
depressing and while offering an inside view of what had happened; all the books left me bewildered as to how these spectacularly high profile
cases had managed to happen in a society, which is supposedly aware of such
issues.
It was crucial to make Caught in Traffick as credible as
possible while weaving what I hoped would be an exciting and captivating story.
The Internet became my best friend when researching in this regard.
I found charities and other organisations which work towards
the eradication of child trafficking especially informative and included a list
at the back of the book as a reference.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Child Exploitation
and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) are two of the major organisations in the
UK combatting child trafficking. In depth research using their websites and related
reading proved invaluable.
In addition to researching online, I used my network of
social work professional groups and colleagues, I was lucky in speaking
directly to Charlie Hedges; an authority on child trafficking who has been
awarded an MBE for his efforts, Mr Hedges provided an enormity of information
and gave advice on what would and would not be plausible.
My dear friend and fellow author James Morgan Ayres also
provided invaluable knowledge on the country of Thailand in general, having
lived and worked in the Far East for many years. The sights, sounds and smells
of the place were all essential in creating a 3 dimensional world in the mind
of the reader.
Research done; all that remained was to actually write the
book, and as we all know – that’s when it really gets interesting.
About Freya Barrington
Freya Barrington is
the pen name of the author of Known
to Social Services, the number 1 UK Bestseller in the Social Work Category in early 2015 and
again in 2016. Known to Social Services won its section in the 2015 London Book
Festival and won an honourable mention in the 2016 Paris Book Festival. Many UK Universities list the book on their
essential reading list for students as while the book is fictionalised, they
recognise the value of authentic accounts of front line social work.
The book titled Gozo: Is the Grass Greener? was Freya’s second work; an autobiographical account of her and her
husband’s lives on the island of Gozo, the book earned an honourable mention in
the 2015 London Book Festival and won its section in the 2016 Paris Book Festival.
Caught in Traffick is Freya’s third book to date and is the
sequel to Known to Social Services.
About Caught in Traffick
Caught in Traffick
By Freya Barrington
Published by Faraxa Publishing (28 August 2016)
ISBN: 978-9995748487
Publisher's description
'Caught in
Traffick' is the sequel to 'Known to Social Services', and continues the story
of social worker Diane Foster. Set mainly in Thailand; Diane and her partner
Ethan are on a working holiday, blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking
against the beautiful backdrop of white beaches and glorious monuments. When
four-year-old Darcie Taylor is abducted from a crowded beach, Diane and Ethan
find themselves sucked into the horrifying world of child trafficking. When
Darcie’s abduction is followed closely by the kidnap of another child, there
can be no doubt that a well co-ordinated gang is operating in the area. A
chance meeting with the Director of Social Services Nicholas Bishop leads to a
shocking revelation about the man who is still Diane’s most senior manager.
Together, they become embroiled in a dangerous web of subterfuge and
corruption, where organised crime syndicates and depraved sex offenders engage
in a desperate battle of wits against those dedicated to their downfall.
Trapped within this labyrinth of immorality are the children, who are
sacrificed on the altar of greed and perversion for financial gain. With the
gang’s tentacles reaching across to England, Diane is shocked to find herself
faced with some old adversaries.
Find Caught in Traffick on Amazon UK here
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