Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking (MSHT)

What is Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking?

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) exists in many forms across the country and can affect many different people regardless of background, gender, age, or ethnicity. Types of slavery include child trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and domestic servitude. Many victims are trafficked from overseas and their exploitation often begins enroute. They are often found working in the construction industry, in agriculture, in the sex industry, and in places like nail bars, car washes, and cannabis farms.

Modern Slavery in southern Wales

Types of slavery include:

Debt bondage

Victims are forced to work to pay off debts that realistically they never will be able to. Low wages and increased debts mean not only that they cannot ever hope to pay off the loan, but the debt may be passed down to their children.

Forced labour

Victims are forced to work against their will, often working very long hours for little or no pay in dire conditions under verbal or physical threats of violence to them or their families. It can happen in many sectors of the economy, from car washes and nail bars, to tarmacking, hospitality and food packaging.

Sexual Exploitation

Victims are coerced to perform non-consensual or abusive sexual acts against their will, such as prostitution, escort work and pornography. Whilst women and children make up most victims, men can also be affected.

Criminal exploitation

Often controlled and maltreated, victims are forced into crimes such as cannabis cultivation or pick pocketing against their will. They might also have their benefits taken over by their exploiter.

Domestic Servitude

Victims are forced to carry out housework and domestic chores in private households with little or no pay, restricted movement, very limited or no free time and minimal privacy often sleeping where they work. They might be presented as members of their exploiters’ extended family to deflect suspicions of neighbours and the authorities.

Signs that someone could have been brought into the country against their will to be exploited include:

Physical appearance

Does the person show signs of physical or psychological abuse, look malnourished or unkempt, or appear withdrawn and neglected? Might they have untreated injuries?

Isolation

Is the person rarely allowed to travel on their own, or do they seem under the control or influence of others? Do they rarely interact or appear unfamiliar with their neighbourhood or where they work?

Poor living conditions

Do they live in dirty, cramped, or overcrowded accommodation, or live and work at the same address?

Restricted freedom of movement

Does the person have few personal possessions and always wear the same clothes day in day out? Perhaps the clothes they do wear may not be suitable for their work. They may have little opportunity to move freely.

Unusual travel times

Are they dropped off or collected for work on a regular basis, either very early or late at night?

Reluctant to seek help

Do they avoid eye contact, appear frightened or hesitant to talk to strangers? There may be many reasons for this, such as not knowing who to trust or where to get help, fear of deportation, fear of violence to them or their family

Spotted signs of Modern Slavery or Human Trafficking?

You can anonymously report to Crimestoppers online. Crimestoppers is an independent charity that works to help communities. Your anonymous report will be sent to the relevant authority with the legal responsibility to investigate the crime you have reported. This could be your local police force, a Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), or a national partner such as the National Crime Agency (NCA).