Still, I speak
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, we’re sharing a selection of incredible poems written by members of Ella’s Survivor Advisory Board.
Poetry has long been used to express complex feelings and emotions that simple prose cannot convey. Here we share some of the poetry recently created by members of our Survivors Advisory Board with the support of Emily Clifford. They write about their experiences as survivors of trafficking and exploitation, and their journeys to recovery. Here are some of the incredible poems they created.
Still, I speak
Ten years of modern-day chains—
Not iron, but trust misplaced,
Love weaponized,
Obedience disguised as purpose.
I served.
I worked.
I crossed borders without knowing, I had already disappeared from myself.
I carried blocks to build someone else’s power,
Laid foundations on the ruins of my worth.
I served again. And again.
My body was taken,
My voice bent,
My spirit insulted
Until even my reflection looked like a stranger
Who deserved less.
The one I trusted most became the gatekeeper of my silence—
Turning me away from those who whispered truth,
Teaching me that love meant isolation,
That loyalty meant loneliness.
Family became a threat.
Familiar voices, betrayal.
Connection, a crime.
I learned to survive by shrinking.
But survival teaches sight.
Now I know why I lived it—
So I can recognize the signs
Before they bruise another woman’s life.
So my loved ones never confuse control for care.
I dream of impact.
Of standing before women
Who have labelled themselves small,
And reminding them
They were never meant
To carry shame that wasn’t theirs.
I speak,
even when my voice trembles.
Even when society points fingers,
Asking why I stayed
Instead of why I was trapped.
I carry shame, yes—
But I carry truth louder.
One day
I will be thunder.
And when I am,
Others will find the courage to rise with me.
Being part of Ella’s returns my worth to me.
Here, my voice is not a burden—
It is guidance.
Here, I am not a statistic—
I am a woman.
To support Ella’s
Is to support women like me—
Survivors,
Still standing,
Still speaking.
About this voice
About this voice, it expresses without apology,
What I need them to know about this voice is it doesn't quieten.
In the morning, it is a hope for a new beginning,
And in the sun going down, it held my grief without asking questions.
Be loud, I tell it speak to those who refuse to listen,
Tell them we are here.
About this voice, I will tell them I will never be quiet again,
I will be heard, I will keep speaking.
Strength
My strength is love.
My children.
My friends.
When I feel weak,
I remember those
Who have no choice
But to be strong.
Those who need a hand,
Not advice.
Support,
Not silence.
So, I rise.
I hold their hands.
I walk them toward the light.
And in lifting them,
I remember –
This is how I stand where I am now.
Poems written by members of Ella's survivor board