Modern slavery is a serious and brutal crime. Victims may not be aware that they are being exploited and may have consented to aspects of their treatment or accepted their situation. Modern Slavery is a safeguarding issue and communities have an important role to play in recognising abuse.
Forms of Modern Slavery
- Labour Exploitation - being forced to work for long hours, sometimes in dangerous conditions, for little or no money
- Sexual Exploitation - being forced to take part in sexual activity in person or online
- Criminal Exploitation - being forced into criminal activities such as transporting illegal drugs or fraud
- Domestic Servitude - being forced into completing domestic chores
- Forced Marriage - where one or both people don't consent to marriage but are forced to marry by family and/or community members
- Organ Harvesting - the illegal removal of internal organs for transplant with or without the donor's consent
- Illegal Adoption - adoption of a child for the purpose of exploitation
- Baby Farming - the birth of a child for the purpose of exploitation
Signs of Modern Slavery
Sometimes the most obvious sign is simply a sudden or gradual change in normal behaviour, personality, or appearance. However, the most commonly recognised signs are:
- Restricted freedom of movement
- No identification documents
- Prized possessions being held by someone else
- Poor working and/or living conditions
- Unusual working hours and/or travel patterns
- Reluctance to seek help
- Always wearing the same clothes
- Not having many possessions
- Dependency on a person or company for accommodation, work, food, clothing or transport
- Feeling, or being, in debt to a person or company
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is when people are brought to (or moved around) a country and forced to work, or do other things, they don't want to do.
Traffickers use violence, threats or false promises of well-paid jobs and a better life, to trick victims into working for them for little or no money.
Men, women and children of all ages, and from all backgrounds, can be victims of this crime.
Child Trafficking
Young people are tricked into travelling to the UK by thinking they'll go to school or get jobs here.
When they arrive, they find out they've been lied to and are made to work in restaurants, steal or help with chores. They're also not allowed to go to school. Sometimes they're forced to work in the sex industry.
Tell someone if you recognise the signs of modern slavery or human trafficking
To contact the Modern Slavery Helpline call 0800 555 111.
To report to police call 101. If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use the police text phone service on 1800 101.
Always call or text police on 999 if a crime is happening or there is an immediate threat to life.
To report concerns about modern slavery or human trafficking to Hertsmere Borough Council, email safeguarding@hertsmere.gov.uk.
Further Advice and Support
Modern Slavery Helpline
Information and advice on modern slavery
The Salvation Army
Immediate and intensive support to ensure that victims of trafficking are given the best possible chance of recovery
Migrant Help
Support services for adult victims of human trafficking
Stop the Traffik
Information and advice about worldwide trafficking, includes a downloadable app.
Kalayaan
Advice, advocacy and support services for migrant domestic workers
Medaille Trust
Helps women, young men and children who have been freed from human trafficking
Barnardo's
Provides specialist support to trafficked children
NSPCC
Advice and support for victims and families of trafficked children
Human Trafficking Foundation
Organisation shaping policy and legislation to help tackle human trafficking in the UK
