The Citizen (KZN)

Modern slavery: what is that?

ONE IN FIVE BRITONS HAS NEVER HEARD OF IT At least 13 000 people are estimated by the government to be victims.

- London

One in five people in Britain has never heard of modern slavery, and two-thirds do not know how to spot the crime, found a poll released yesterday by British supermarke­t Co-op.

A tenth of Britons think they may have come across a victim, yet half say they would not know how to react or who to talk to if they suspected someone was a modern-day slave, according to the poll of 2 000 adults, which was commission­ed by Co-op.

The research comes amid a recent drive by activists, businesses and the government to help the British public identify signs of traffickin­g and report any suspicions.

At least 13 000 people are estimated by the government to be victims of forced labour, sexual exploitati­on and domestic servitude – but police say the figure is the tip of the iceberg.

Britain’s anti-slavery tsar, Kevin Hyland, in his second annual report, this week described the estimate as far too low, and said the true number was in the tens of thousands.

“We, as a nation, need educating on what signs to look for, who to tell, what to do and for more of us to ‘wake up’ to the reality and existence of modern slavery,” Coop’s group policy and campaigns director, Paul Gerrard, said in a statement.

Signs include people who look unkempt, scared of their employer or work without proper clothing, and slavery mainly affects immigrants and vulnerable people, often working in car washes, nail bars and farms, Britain’s anti-slavery body says.

“It is a sad reality that many in the UK still do not know about modern slavery or the fact that it could be taking place in their own town or street,” Justine Currell, executive director of Unseen, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Released on Anti-Slavery Day yesterday – a day set by parliament to raise awareness of the crime – the poll should encourage other businesses to take more action to address slavery, Co-op said.

In 2015, Britain passed the Modern Slavery Act, introducin­g life sentences for trafficker­s, better protection for people at risk of being enslaved, and forcing firms to disclose what they are doing to ensure their supply chains are free from slavery. –

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