Highlighting the signs of modern slavery

18th October marks Anti-Slavery Day, which aims to raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, John Dwyer, is urging the public to learn the signs of modern slavery and understand where you can report concerns in order to help address the issue.

Research completed by the Coalition to Stop Slavery discovered that 52% of adults in the UK believe that they have witnessed victims of modern slavery. However, only 35% of those raised their concerns to the police or other reporting organisations. A key reason preventing the public from reporting their concerns was not knowing who to contact about what they had seen.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, John Dwyer, said:

“The messaging behind Anti-Slavery Day is so important and it is a great opportunity to bring attention to the warning signs of modern slavery and human trafficking. It is also vital that people understand where to report their concerns, which allows the police to pinpoint and tackle this type of criminal activity.

“A priority in my Police and Crime Plan is to protect vulnerable and at-risk people, in particular victims of modern slavery and human-trafficking. I am committed to working alongside Cheshire Constabulary and partner agencies to ensure that Cheshire is a hostile environment for criminals who try to operate in our county.”

Modern slavery tends to come in eight different forms, which are:

• Human trafficking
• Forced labour
• Bonded labour
• Child slavery
• Child and forced marriage
• Descent-based slavery
• Domestic work and slavery
• Slavery in supply chains
   

John Dwyer added:

“I would like to encourage everyone to recognise the signs of modern slavery and know where they can go to make a report. There is no place for this abhorrent crime in our society, whatever form it takes. If you don’t feel confident in speaking to the police, there are anonymous helplines you can call to raise any concerns you may have.

“With the support of the public, the work of charities, organisations and advancements in technology, the police are in an even stronger position to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking.”

GoodSAM technology used in Cheshire Constabulary’s Force Control Centre recently enabled officers to locate a victim of modern slavery. The technology allows 999 callers to have live video contact with their call handler by sending a link to the individual’s smartphone. The caller’s live location is also sent through to the Control Centre so that they can be located quickly and easily.

Signs of modern slavery:

• Appear to be under control of someone else and reluctant to interact with others
• Not have personal identification on them
• Have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes every day, or have unsuitable clothes for work
• Not be able to move around freely
• Be reluctant to talk to strangers or authorities
• Appear frightened, withdrawn, or show signs of physical or psychological abuse
• Dropped off and collected for work always in the same way, especially at unusual times, i.e very early or late at night
   

If you suspect someone is a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, you can:

• Contact the police. Always call 999 in an emergency.
• Contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
• Call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 121 700
   

For more information on modern slavery and human trafficking, visit: 

www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/spot-the-signs-of-slavery/

Find out more about the Coalition to Stop Slavery on their website: 

http://www.coalitiontostopslavery.org/learn-the-signs/