YOU can help those living in Portsmouth who are trapped within the sex industry by donating to this year's Bishop's Lent Appeal.

Donations given as part of the Bishop’s Lent Appeal for 2026 will be split between global mission agency USPG, development charity Tearfund, and local church charity Vista. All three were also supported in 2025 and will be supported in 2027 and 2028 as well.

And the team from Vista, which is based in Harbour Church, Portsmouth, have a specific brief to help those living in this area who have been sex trafficked, or caught up within the sex industry. Their paid staff and volunteers go into massage parlours and strip clubs and offer those women a confidential listening ear, and a chance to live a safer life.

For instance, when the team met Bianca*, she was in a relationship with a man who was sexually exploiting and abusing her. She had moved to the UK seeking new opportunities, but she had become reliant on alcohol to ease the pain of the abuse she was experiencing. She seemed trapped in a web of addiction and abuse. Then she became pregnant.

A few days after he was born, Bianca’s son was taken into care. This painful event added another layer to her experience of trauma and after a short time of sobriety, Bianca started drinking heavily. The team continued to pray for her and with her.

During this time, Bianca was able to get away from the abusive relationship and into temporary accommodation which provided more support than before. She felt angry with the lack of housing options available and angry with a system that had taken away her baby.

After a couple of years of praying and being around to hold out hope when Bianca felt none, the Vista team had the enormous privilege of being in her life when she got to the point of saying: “God, I am going to trust you to get me off the drink and change my life.”

The staff at her hostel couldn’t believe the change in her. She started attending church, got a job and has stayed safe over the past year. It was Bianca’s decision to trust God with her life, and to keep away from alcohol with the strength Jesus gives.

Bianca’s life is now so different that the court ordered a reassessment by Children’s Services. As a result, she now sees her son regularly and is praying that this will lead to having custody of him in the future.

Bianca said: “It puts a smile on my face when I look at how far God has brought me and still going!”

You can help Vista to help people such as Bianca by making a donation or holding a fundraising event and giving the proceeds to our Bishop's Lent Appeal this year.

* Bianca’s name has been changed to protect her. Photo posed by model