Experience: I smuggled myself out of the UK
We were locked in a box in a lorry for 12 hours. I’ve never been so terrified
TL;DR
- The author fled Iraq at 19 due to death threats, hoping for protection in the UK.
- Their asylum claim was refused, leading to over a decade of living in Home Office accommodation and frequent reporting.
- The author felt dehumanized and banned from working or opening a bank account, fearing deportation.
- To avoid being sent back to Iraq, they paid smugglers to be hidden in a box in a lorry, enduring 12 hours of extreme fear and physical distress.
- Upon arrival in Calais, they escaped but found France unsafe and traveled to Italy, where they hope for legal work.
- Their home city in Iraq has since been attacked, making return even more dangerous.
- The author's dream is to have a safe, legal life in the UK, open a barber shop, and pay taxes.