Aneeta’s work in the Metropolitan Police Authority included leading on forced marriage and FGM. Whilst in that role, and with her passion for safeguarding, she set up Freedom Charity with Lord Toby Harris in 2010. Freedom Charity was set up with a mission to eradicate forced marriage, virginity testing, modern-day slavery and other dishonour-based crimes. Prem is the lifetime President and CEO of the charity which has grown to be an internationally recognised name. Aneeta is called on to advise ministers, give evidence as an expert in her field to select committees and works closely with the Home Office and Foreign Office on policy.
Aneeta created the term ’dishonour’ to more accurately reflect the absence of honour in the violence she has been working to eradicate. Aneeta coined the term ‘Not in my name’ for males to use to stand up against dishonour violence and the #SupportDonateEradicate movement to show support against dishonour abuse.
She publicly launched the Red Triangle badge on 6th February 2017, the international day of zero tolerance for FGM, as the symbol against dishonour violence in all its forms. The red triangle has been internationally adopted as the symbol against FGM. Not only as a nation, but as human beings, we must be serious about combating this atrocity which affects 200 million females globally. Visit the Freedom Charity shop to buy the Red Triangle badge to wear to say you want to end Female Genital Mutilation. https://freedomcharity.org.uk/shop/
In July 2014, under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Prem saw the fruition of her work to make forced marriage illegal in the UK. Eight years, later under the Health and Care Act 2022, virginity testing and hymenoplasty followed suit, and the following year the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act saw the age of marriage lifted to 18. Prem was instrumental in raising awareness of all these issues and driving change through parliament.
In 2021, Aneeta joined a list of prestigious speakers which includes Ronald Reagan, The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Stephen Hawking, to address the Oxford Union on these issues. You can watch her address here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-uwkBqDlkI
The first significant case of modern day slavery rescue was undertaken in conjunction with the police and Freedom Charity. It involved the rescue of three women who had claimed to have been held in slavery for decades. https://youtu.be/rBSN8kYSLiM?feature=shared
Pioneering the use of technology, the Freedom Charity App launched (that now has over 250,000 downloads) to guide and advise victims and non-victims alike, as well as for reference by police, border force and health care professionals. Watch the launch video for the Freedom Charity app here https://youtu.be/_RWfbmGq4e0?feature=shared
Aneeta has been a primary point of contact for people who have reached out for help to be rescued, both in the UK and from overseas. She has maintained contact and liaised with other agencies regarding how to safely remove someone from their situation. She organises identity change and safe places to live and rehabilitate. These actions have undoubtedly saved lives.
Aneeta has written two novels aimed at children and young people aged nine years and over. Both books are PSHE association accredited and are complemented by lesson plans. They are written with the overarching aim to save lives by educating peers and those at risk about the warning signs. Her first novel "But It's Not Fair” draws on her extensive experience supporting child victims of Forced Marriage and dishonour-based crimes through her work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Government ministers, the police, survivors and her experiences as a judiciary magistrate.
The story is written from the view of a young British girl, Vinny, whose friend almost becomes a victim of Forced Marriage. The book is presented in a chatty and easy-to-read style, but it carries some powerful messages. It not only raises awareness of Forced Marriage and highlights some of the key signs to be aware of, but it also suggests courses of action that could help potential victims. Freedom Charity distributes copies of "But It's Not Fair" free to schools, alongside lesson plans for teachers.
"Cut Flowers", Aneeta’s second novel, is about female genital mutilation (FGM). Katie and Sophia are just two ordinary girls eagerly awaiting the summer holidays until their teacher, Miss Adams, gives them their summer homework – to prepare a presentation about what they did over the holidays. Little did they know that it would be the start of a lifelong mission to protect young girls all over the world. When Katie finally returns from Africa, she needs all of Sophia’s support and creative flair to shine a spotlight on something that’s affecting millions of girls worldwide, but that no one seems to want to talk about. The book has PSHE Association lesson plans to accompany it.
Aneeta travels throughout the country delivering inspiring and thought-provoking sessions to students in schools, colleges and universities on subjects which also include child abuse, trafficking, and radicalisation. She has delivered sessions to children as young as eight, ensuring that the material is delivered at an appropriate level. Older children have been moved to tears by the subject but have left motivated to make change and ensure human rights violations are eradicated. She has donated tens of thousands of copies of her novels to these students, often finding that these are the first books some children have ever owned. Raised awareness amongst readers of signs of FGM and forced marriage has resulted in planned events being stopped. These books have saved, and will continue to save, lives.
“The work of charities like Freedom is helping to ensure no one has to live in fear of FGM. Education is vital to stamping out this abhorrent practice and these resources will help schools looking to tackle these issues and protect their pupils at a critical point in the year."
– Nicky Morgan, former Home Secretary (2019/20)
Visit the Freedom Charity shop to buy Aneeta’s books https://freedomcharity.org.uk/shop
