Hi Everyone!
Did you know that today is Anti-Slavery Day (18th October 2019)?
Although, we may think that this topic is not relevant to us or our surroundings, slavery did not end with abolition in the 19th century. Instead, it changed its forms and continues to harm people in every country in the world, some examples include forced labour, child labour, human trafficking or forced and early marriage.
There are estimated 40.3 million people in modern slavery around the world.
Modern slavery can affect anyone, but vulnerable people are mainly at a risk. A victim is usually used and exploited for someone else’s gain, without respect for their human rights and involving some element of coercion, such as threats, use of force or abuse of power so that the victim performs acts or services against their own will.
10 million children are in slavery across the world.
There are series of signs to watch out for when it comes to victims of modern slavery. Some examples to look our for are listed below.
- They may look scared/uneasy
- Someone is speaking for them
- They are picked up and dropped off from work at unusual times
- They may not be sure of their own address
- Someone is paying for them
- They may not have access to their identity documents or bank cards
Some are more obvious than others, but if you have any concerns please report them to local authorities as soon as possible.
The shocking statistic states that only 1% of victims of slavery have a chance to see their exploiter brought to justice.
If you have any suspicions, or you think you are a victim please call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or fill out an online form.
