Understanding Modern Slavery and Exploitation

Types of Exploitation

Modern slavery and exploitation encompass: Sexual Exploitation, Domestic Servitude, Forced Labour, and Criminal Exploitation.

Signs of Slavery and Exploitation

Recognizing potential victims can be challenging as the signs are often concealed:

• Legal documents held by someone else
• Poor medical care, old or untreated injuries
• Malnourished or un-kept appearance
• Fearful and withdrawn behaviour
• Fear of authorities or family separation
• Debt bondage perception

Facts about Modern Slavery

• Scale: Second largest organised crime globally, with an estimated 27 million slaves worldwide.
• Victims: Any age, gender, ethnicity, or nationality can be victims.
• Growth: Fastest growing criminal activity worldwide.
• Children Trafficking: An estimated 1.2 million children trafficked annually, with the average age of victims being 12 years old.
• UK: Approximately 4,000 victims trafficked for prostitution at any given time.

Understanding Exploitation

Exploitation is the deliberate mistreatment, manipulation, or abuse of power:

• Forms: Slavery, forced labour, domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and more.
• Motives: Usually for personal gain, but not exclusively so.