Trafficking victims are often lured into modern slavery by false promises and so may not easily trust others. They may:
Be fearful of police/authorities
Be fearful of the trafficker, believing their lives or family members’ lives are at risk if they escape
Exhibit signs of physical and psychological trauma e.g. anxiety, lack of memory of recent events, bruising, untreated conditions
Be fearful of telling others about their situation
Be unaware they have been trafficked and believe they are simply in a bad job
Have limited freedom of movement
Be unpaid or paid very little
Have limited access to medical care
Seem to be in debt to someone
Have no passport or mention that someone else is holding their passport
Be regularly moved to avoid detection
Believe they are being controlled by use of witchcraft
Sexual Exploitation
Awareness that ordinary, residential housing/hotels are being used more and more for brothels is the key. People forced into sexual exploitation may be controlled by violence, threats, substance abuse, deception or grooming, with extreme physical or psychological domination.
Be moved between brothels, sometimes from city to city
Sleeping on work premises
Display a limited amount of clothing, of which a large proportion is sexual
Display substance misuse
Be forced, intimidated or coerced into providing sexual services
Be subjected to abduction, assault or rape
Be unable to travel freely e.g. picked up and dropped off at work location by another person
Have money for their services provided collected by another person
Sexual Exploitation of Minors
An abuse of child’s vulnerability by a person’s position of power or trust, exploiting that position to obtain sexual services in exchange for some form of Cavour such as alcohol, drugs, attention or gifts (Engage Team, Blackburn). Another type of the minor sexual exploitation involves children under 18- years old which remains a culturally accepted practice in many corners of the Globe. Although boys can be affected by this practice, it is mostly girls who suffer slavery as a consequence of child marriage.
You may notice a child that is:
Often going missing/truanting
Secretive
Has unexplained money/presents
Experimenting with drugs/alcohol
Associating with/being groomed by older people (not in normal networks)
In relationships with significantly older people
Taking part in social activities with no plausible explanation
Seen entering or leaving vehicles with unknown adults
Showing evidence of physical/sexual assault (including STD’s)
Showing signs of low self image/self harm/eating disorder
Forced Labor & Coerced Criminal Activity
Where all the work is done under the menace of a penalty or the person has not offered himself voluntarily and is now unable to leave. They may experience the threat of a penalty such as violence or harm to family. Victims are often further controlled by debt bondage. This may include conducting some form of criminal activity such as theft, pick pocketing, begging, cannabis cultivation or benefit fraud. They may experience:
Threat or actual physical harm
Restriction of movement or confinement
Debt bondage i.e. working to pay off a debt or loan, often the victim is paid very little or nothing at all for their services because of deductions
Withholding of pay or excessive reductions
Withholding of documents e.g. passport/security card
Threat of revealing to authorities an irregular immigration status
Their employer is unable to produce documents required
Poor or non-existent health and safety standards
Requirement to pay for tools and food
Imposed place of accommodation (and deductions made for it)
Pay that is less than minimum wage
Dependence on employer for services
No access to labor contract
Excessive work hours/few breaks
Domestic Servitude
A particularly serious form of denial of freedom; this includes the obligation to provide certain services and the obligation to live on another persons property without the possibility of changing those circumstances. A person in domestic servitude is often forced to work punishing hours with heavy lifting, is subject to inhumane treatment, physical and sexual abuse, or exposure to harmful situations, including abuse, confiscation of travel documents, no time off, isolation from the family, and friends and threats of harm.
They may:
Be living and working for a family in a private home
Not be eating with the rest of the family
Have no bedroom or proper sleeping place
Have no private space
Be forced to work excessive hours; “on call” 24 hours a day
Never leave the house without the ‘employer’
Be malnourished
Be reported as missing or accused of crime by their ‘employer’ if they try to escape
Criminal Activities
The person is recruited and forced/deceived into conducting some form of criminal activity such as pick pocketing, begging, cannabis cultivation and benefit fraud.
Same indicators as for forced labour but for cannabis cultivation you may also notice:
Windows of property are permanently covered from the inside
Visits to property are at unusual times
Property may be residential
Unusual noises coming from the property e.g. machinery
