Guidance for Modern Slavery

Print Print Print this page

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery is a complex crime where someone is exploited for someone else’s benefit. The term modern slavery includes slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. 
 
The Equality and Human Rights Commission provides the following definitions: 

  • Slavery is when someone actually owns you, like a piece of property
  • Servitude is similar to slavery – you might live on the person’s premises, work for them and be unable to leave, but they don’t own you
  • Forced labour means you are forced to do work that you have not agreed to, under the threat of punishment 

The United Nations defines Human Trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit. A person is still a victim of human trafficking even if they have not yet been exploited but have been moved for the purposes of exploitation. 

Data from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for 2022 and 2023 consistently show nearly 25% of all referrals for modern slavery were for UK Nationals. It is a myth that all victims of modern slavery in the UK are from overseas. 


 

Reporting

The Police

Modern slavery is a crime, and the police have a role to investigate activity related to the exploitation of individuals or groups of people. Concerns about potential victims or a situation where you think someone is being exploited, can be reported to the police using the Partner Information Sharing and Intelligence form. If someone is in immediate danger it should be reported to the police by calling 999.

Additional information is available via the Dorset Police Website

Trafficked and Exploited Children 

Any child who is, or who appears to be, under the age of 18 and a potential victim of modern slavery should be referred to the Family Support and Advice Line on 01305 228558 (Out of Hours 01202 228866) mash@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Any child under the age of 18 that is being transported or controlled for exploitative reasons is considered to be a victim, whether or not they have been forced or deceived. This is partly because it is not considered possible for children in this situation to give informed consent. Even when a child understands what has happened, they may still appear to submit willingly to what they believe to be the will of their parents or accompanying adults. It is important that these children are protected. 

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army provides specialist support for all adult victims of modern slavery in England and Wales. The Salvation Army provide a confidential Referral Helpline 0300 3038151 that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone can call the helpline, for yourself if you are a victim, or if you have seen someone who you think is a victim of modern slavery and needs help.

Help and support that may be available to potential victims might include:

  • confidential legal advice
  • health care
  • counselling
  • educational opportunities
  • financial support
  • support in obtaining employment and housing

Additional information is available from the Salvation Army website.

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

If you have concerns about the safety and welfare of a vulnerable adult, call 01305 221016 (Out of Hours 01305 858250) dorsetadultsafeguarding@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. If someone is in immediate danger or risk of harm, call 999.
 

Types

There are 5 main types of exploitation.

Sexual Exploitation

The World Health Organisation defines sexual exploitation as "Actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another."

This includes rape, prostitution, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts/assault, or witnessing sexual acts to which the adult has not consented to or was pressured into consenting to.

Labour exploitation

The abuse of people in the workplace for profit where people are forced to work for little or no money. They can be coerced through threats of abuse, which can be direct and harsh or much less obvious.

This includes having wages being deducted at source, having wages and paperwork controlled by another person, being kept in isolation and/or being given misinformation, forced to work through psychological or physical violence, being subject to threats of physical violence or other forms of bullying

Forced Criminality

Forced criminality involves victims, often but not exclusively children, who are forced to commit a range of crimes controlled by another person and where the proceeds are given over to another person.  

This includes selling counterfeit DVDs, bag snatching, cash machine theft, pickpocketing, forced begging, county lines, forced sham marriage and cannabis cultivation. It may also involve financial exploitation where a victim’s name is being used for false bank accounts. 

Debt Bondage

Debt bondage, also known as bonded labour, happens when people give themselves into slavery as security against a loan or when they inherit a debt from a relative. It can happen when people seek passage from overseas or relating to debt accrued in the UK .

This includes a victim being offered a job abroad with ‘free’ transportation, or for them to borrow money from the employer or person controlling the travel to pay for transportation. This may also include having to pay a job finding fee. If a relative with a debt has died, this debt may be considered passed on and the responsibility of someone else to pay. 

Organ Harvesting 

Forced organ harvesting and organ trafficking is where organs are taken from victims through coercion or without informed consent and sold illegally, often making their way into the organ tourism transplant market.  

This includes where victims are kidnapped and have an organ forcefully removed, where victims are tricked into believing they need an operation and whilst under general anaesthetic have an organ removed without knowledge or consent. Human traffickers have also been known to offer safe transportation in return for an organ as payment.
 

Identifying modern slavery

Modern slavery is a complex and serious crime, often perpetrated by people who work together to plan, coordinate and carry out exploitative activities. The potential of financial gain through organised crime is typically the motivation for to committing these serious offences.

There are some industries and business areas that are higher risk for modern slavery, due to the type of work being done and vulnerabilities within supply chains.

These include industries such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, hospitality, the care sector, domestic work. We also see exploitation in nail bars, car washes, cannabis grows, and brothels.

It is important to recognise that victims of modern slavery may feel ashamed that they are trapped in an exploitative situation. They may certainly feel scared and they may not feel able to leave the situation they are in. A potential victim may be reluctant to come forward and engage with help and support that is available, either because they fear for their own safety or for the safety of their family who may be being threatened.

Modern slavery tends to happen in the shadows and victims of modern slavery are often hidden, going unseen. 

Indicators may include:

  • physical (to the person)
    • bruises and other injuries, signs of regular assault
    • branding or marking of some kind, to denote belonging to someone
    • work related injuries, often through lack of protective equipment or poor health and safety
    • persistent medical issues, for example skin infections, malnutrition, noticeable substantial weight loss, dental problems, or post-operative complications (arising from organ harvesting)
  • psychological
    • signs of fear or anxiety, or an inability to regulate emotions
    • isolation or alienation
    • attachment and identity issues, including an over-dependency on the exploiter(s)
    • difficulties with relationships, including issues with trust either trusting too much or not at all.
    • loss of autonomy, including being unable to make simple decisions or tending to easily give in to other’s views and requests
  • environmental (location or surroundings)
    • living in unsuitable and abusive conditions 
    • working and living in the same premises, restrictions on everyday movement
    • living with numbers of other people, too many for the space 
    • living in an isolated location, being transported back and forth to work
  • situational (context and circumstances)
    • withheld documents, including passports, contracts, payslips, and health records
    • little or no knowledge of information about rights as a worker in the UK or about services and support available to them
    • reliant on someone else for a place to live and work, for food and clothes.
    • going missing for days at a time, being moved around in groups
    • working but having no money of their own as wages are withheld or taken, often to pay back a ‘debt’
       

Our modern slavery statement

Under Section 54 (Transparency in Supply Chains) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Dorset Council is required to publish an annual Transparency Statement.

Dorset Council is committed to ethical procurement and supply practices and mitigates the risks of modern slavery in supply chains through targeted training.
 

Pan-Dorset Anti-Slavery Partnership

Dorset Council is a key partner within the Pan-Dorset Anti-Slavery Partnership (PDASP). The purpose of the partnership is to coordinate delivery and monitor progress of the Dorset Action Plan 2019-2021 and to deliver:

The Government’s Modern Slavery Strategy

  • Pursue: Prosecute and disrupt individuals and groups responsible for modern slavery
  • Prevent: Prevent people from engaging in and being a victim of modern slavery
  • Protect: Strengthen safeguards against modern slavery by protecting vulnerable people from exploitation and increasing awareness of and resilience against this crime
  • Prepare: Reduce the harm caused by modern slavery through improved victim identification and enhanced support

PDASP Strategic Objectives are to:

  • raise awareness of modern slavery
  • combat modern slavery by working in partnership
  • identify and support victims of modern slavery
  • pursue perpetrators of modern slavery

Membership

The partnership comprises strategic and operational leaders from a wide range of statutory organisations, including but not limited to:

  • The Home Office (including UK Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, and Immigration Enforcement)
  • Dorset and BCP Councils
  • Dorset Integrated Care Board
  • Dorset Police
  • Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
  • Dorset Healthcare University Foundation Trust
  • National Crime Agency (NCA)
  • Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

Pan-Dorset Anti-Slavery Partnership Governance Structure

The Pan-Dorset ASP structure comprises 3 levels:

Pan-Dorset Anti-slavery Partnership (PDASP)

This is a smaller group of statutory partners, whose remit is setting strategic direction,  reviewing and reflecting on national strategy and policy development, oversight of the work of the ASP Operations Group in response to local development and delivery needs.

Pan-Dorset Anti-Slavery Partnership Operations Group (PDASP-OG)

A larger group of representatives drawn from a wide range of statutory partner functions. This group will report to the ASP, deliver on the ASP Work Plan, co-ordinate effective events and operational activity to investigate modern slavery concerns, monitor and report on case numbers, tracking, trends and emerging concerns. This group will also act as a vital connection to the ASP Network, through which communication will be channelled and wider intelligence gathered. 

Pan-Dorset Anti-Slavery Partnership Network (PDASP Network)

The PDASP Network will operate utilising existing networks of local, regional and national groups who have reach into our communities and have an active role to play in respect of tackling modern slavery. The network will also provide a forum for discussion and shared wider informal intelligence.