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divdiv class=story-body readability=49 span class=story-date#13; span class=date22 November 2013/span#13; span class=time-textLast updated at /spanspan class=time11:18 ET/span#13; #13; /span#13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- Embedding the video player --#13; !-- This is the embedded player component --#13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- wwrights check --#13; !-- Empty country is used on test environment --#13; #13; #13; #13; div class=videoInStoryC readability=1#13; div id=emp-25058478-80325 class=emp#13; #13; #13; noscript#13; div class=warning readability=1#13; img class=holding src=http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71288000/jpg/_71288621_71288620.jpg alt=Det Insp Kevin Hyland/pstrongPlease turn on JavaScript./strong Media requires JavaScript to play./p#13; /div#13; /noscript#13; #13; !-- embedding script --#13; #13; /div#13; !-- companion banner -- #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- END - companion banner --!-- caption --p class=captionDet Insp Kevin Hyland: It's clear that there was a degree of freedom/p#13; !-- END - caption --#13; #13; #13; #13; /div#13; !-- end of the embedded player component --#13; #13; !-- Player embedded -- #13; p class=introduction id=story_continues_1Detectives investigating the case of three women allegedly held as slaves for 30 years in south London have uncovered a complicated and disturbing picture of emotional control./p#13; pThe women, aged 69, 57 and 30, were rescued in Lambeth last month./p#13; pCommander Steve Rodhouse told a press briefing that the three women told police they had been beaten./p#13; pIt has also emerged the couple suspected of keeping them as slaves were arrested in the 1970s./p#13; pPolice would not reveal the reason why the couple, both 67 and understood to be married, were arrested./p#13; span class=cross-head'Invisible handcuffs'/span#13; pNews of the women's plight did not emerge until Thursday, when police revealed the women, a 69-year-old Malaysian, a 57-year-old Irish national and a 30-year-old Briton, had managed to leave a house in Lambeth on 25 October./p#13; pThey are not believed to be victims of trafficking. /p#13; pMr Rodhouse described the three women as having been restrained by invisible handcuffs and confirmed they have made a clear allegation of slavery against the two suspects, who have also been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences./p#13; !-- Embedding the video player --#13; !-- This is the embedded player component --#13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- wwrights check --#13; !-- Empty country is used on test environment --#13; #13; #13; #13; div class=videoInStoryC readability=2#13; div id=emp-25042450-80326 class=emp#13; #13; #13; noscript#13; div class=warning readability=1#13; img class=holding src=http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71265000/jpg/_71265446_71265445.jpg alt=Aneeta Prem/pstrongPlease turn on JavaScript./strong Media requires JavaScript to play./p#13; /div#13; /noscript#13; #13; !-- embedding script --#13; #13; /div#13; !-- companion banner -- #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- END - companion banner --!-- caption --p class=captionAneeta Prem, Freedom Charity: We've ensured they're in a place of safety/p#13; !-- END - caption --#13; #13; #13; #13; /div#13; !-- end of the embedded player component --#13; #13; !-- Player embedded -- pHe said: It is not as brutally obvious as women being physically restrained inside an address and not allowed to leave. /p#13; span class=cross-head'Brainwashing'/span#13; pWhat we have uncovered so far is a complicated and disturbing picture of emotional control over many years, brainwashing would be the most simplest term, yet that belittles the years of emotional abuse these victims have had to endure./p#13; pWe are unpicking a story that spans at least 30 years of these women's lives, and all of this requires police activity to turn that into evidence./p#13; pHe added the women had given a disturbing picture of their experience, although the household may have appeared as a normal family to others./p#13; pIt is also being investigated as to whether the women had previous contact with public services. /p#13; pThe case has been described as unique by the force and its entire 37-person specialist team is working on it. /p#13; span class=cross-headHouse search/span#13; pMr Rodhouse said one of the reasons the police had not revealed more information about the couple's arrest in the 1970s was because it must take great care not to provide information that could lead to the identification of the subjects./p#13; pHe said the two suspects had been bailed as the investigation would be a long one and could take up to many months, but said they had not returned to the Lambeth property. /p#13; pThe house has been subjected to a 12-hour search, with 55 bags of about 2,500 exhibits seized./p#13; !-- Embedding the video player --#13; !-- This is the embedded player component --#13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- wwrights check --#13; !-- Empty country is used on test environment --#13; #13; #13; #13; div class=videoInStoryC readability=1#13; div id=emp-25049870-80327 class=emp#13; #13; #13; noscript#13; div class=warning readability=1#13; img class=holding src=http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71276000/jpg/_71276782_71276781.jpg alt=James Brokenshire/pstrongPlease turn on JavaScript./strong Media requires JavaScript to play./p#13; /div#13; /noscript#13; #13; !-- embedding script --#13; #13; /div#13; !-- companion banner -- #13; #13; #13; #13; !-- END - companion banner --!-- caption --p class=captionHome Office minister James Brokenshire: I want to see slavery consigned to history books/p#13; !-- END - caption --#13; #13; #13; #13; /div#13; !-- end of the embedded player component --#13; #13; !-- Player embedded -- pThe rescue was staged after the 57-year-old woman secretly gained access to a phone and contacted Freedom Charity./p#13; pShe first called on 18 October and there followed a number of conversations over a week, before the women left the property when the occupants of the house were not around./p#13; pThey were met by police and representatives of the charity and moved to a safe location./p#13; pIt is not yet known if the women are related but police believe the 30-year-old has spent her whole life in captivity. Officers are trying to establish whether she was born in the property./p#13; pJakki Moxham, chief executive, of Housing for Women, a charity which works with victims of domestic slavery and trafficking, said the horrific case showed slavery is not confined to the history books. /p#13; pWomen who have been victims of slavery and trafficking are in an extremely vulnerable position but fail to get long term support and safe and secure accommodation after the government 45-day recovery period. /p#13; pWe urge the government to address this lack of support in the Modern Day Slavery Bill so these women can try to rebuild their lives./p#13; pMayor of London, Boris Johnson said: If it's as bad as it would appear to be, it's deplorable that something like this can happen in the 21st Century let alone in London the greatest city on earth. /p#13; div class=comment-introduction readability=-49#13; p class=introductionDo you live in Lambeth or specifically in the street where the women lived? 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