Human Trafficking in the UK
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is a term that is often used to describe several different crimes in which children or adults are taken and used for labor. Human trafficking includes any individual, both children, and adults, that are used for labor or illicit sexual acts without their consent. Unlike kidnapping, human trafficking includes both the taking of an individual and the use of that individual in nonconsensual labor or illicit sexual acts. Many believe that human trafficking requires the traffickers to move victims over a long distance, but this is not always true. Human trafficking can happen within neighborhoods, cities, countries, and the globe.
Does Human Trafficking happen in the UK?
Yes, human trafficking is a prominent crime across the globe including in the United Kingdom. The latest report states that between the years 2015-2020 there were an estimated 13,000 victims of human trafficking in the UK alone. These victims included both children and adults, men and women, and individuals domestic and foreign.
Human Trafficking Statistics in the UK
13,000 victims between the years 2015-2020
½ of the victims are under the age of 18
Victims are comprised of 123 nationalities with British, Albanian, and Vietnamese being the most prominent.
26% of victims are exploited outside of the UK
The majority of human trafficking cases are nonviolent
How does Human Trafficking happen?
Human trafficking can look different in every case. However, the Polaris Project, a US-based Non-Profit, has established the steps a trafficker takes to capture and exploit victims. The first thing a trafficker does is take an Action. This can include inducing, recruiting, harboring, or transporting a potential victim. Traffickers will then show a means of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a possible victim to enter into sex trafficking or labor trafficking.
Contrary to popular beliefs and representation in the mainstream media, the majority of human trafficking situations do not include violent or forceful kidnapping. Potential victims almost always know and even trust those who are trying to traffic them. In most cases, traffickers target the most vulnerable targets by offering to meet their financial, material, or emotional needs. This makes it easy to convince potential victims to enter into forced labor or illicit sexual activity.
What are the signs of Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking comes in a variety of forms and no one warning sign is enough to indicate that someone is a victim of human trafficking. Although not typical, some human trafficking victims are taken from very public places. In these scenarios, keep an eye out for suspicious large vehicles. If you see someone following an individual from a short distance and that individual is on the phone, they may be directing a pick-up of the potential victim. However, many of these situations are hard to spot.
The main warning signs of human trafficking are present after the victim has entered into labor. These individuals will often have poor living conditions and they may live in the same building or house as their employer. Many trafficked individuals may live in cramped spaces with other victims. Other warning signs come when attempting to communicate with an individual you suspect to be a victim. They may not be allowed to talk to you alone. Their responses to questions may seem scripted or rehearsed. Many victims of trafficking will not be able to produce their personal identification documents including a license, identification card, or birth certificate. Victims may seem submissive and even openly fearful. Signs of physical abuse may even be present and visible on the victim's body.
How to prevent human trafficking
There is no one solution to the human trafficking problem. Many individuals are coerced into trafficking because of financial, emotional, or material needs. Until wider action is taken, these individuals will still be vulnerable to traffickers. However, here are some steps you can take to help prevent human trafficking in your immediate community.
The best thing you can do is learn the signs of human trafficking and be aware when you come across situations where these warning signs are present. You can help raise awareness by sharing these warning signs with your community. Being well-informed and informing others is the best way to help identify possible victims and return them to their life safely.
Be aware of where your products and services come from. Many companies both locally and globally exploit trafficked labor to bring you cheap products. Learning who makes your products and who provides your services will help you avoid spending money with companies that traffic labor.
Human traffickers target vulnerable individuals, especially those under the age of 18. You can help your community by volunteering your time and resources to local organizations that support at-risk youth. By providing opportunities to young people they may be less likely to be coerced into a life of modern slavery to meet their financial, material, and emotional needs.
If you suspect that an individual is a victim of human trafficking it is best to report it to the proper authorities. An emergency tip should be reported to the police by calling 999. A non-urgent tip can be reported to the police by calling 101. If you would like to stay anonymous but believe an individual is a victim of human trafficking, call Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111. Your tip could help bring current victims to safety and prevent the possibility of potential victims being exploited in the future.
Bringing an End to Modern Slavery
Human trafficking and modern slavery are obvious affronts to human rights. It is on everyone to do their part to bring an end to human trafficking and forced labor. If you see a warning sign of human trafficking, do the right thing and report your tip to the police. By staying informed and vigilant we can help return victims to safety and put a stop to human trafficking and the exploitation of both children and adults.