Rudd meets Britain’s biggest bosses in fight to end modern slavery
THE BOSSES of some of Britain’s biggest companies held talks with Amber Rudd as the Government seeks private-sector help to eradicate the “barbaric crime” of modern slavery.
The Home Secretary has invited chief executives from companies including Anglo American, Aviva, Barclays, BT Group, HSBC and WPP to pledge renewed public support for efforts to stamp out slavery from their supply chains.
The Business Against Slavery Summit took place against a backdrop of stark statistics including Home Office estimates that there are 13,000 slaves in the UK.
Forced labour is among the most prominent issues on the private sector’s human rights agenda, and has acquired a more urgent focus since 2015, when the Modern Slavery Act became law.
The news comes after it was revealed terrorists are using human trafficking, including trading in sex slaves, as a new source of funding, according to a report.
Groups including IS and Boko Haram are turning to hostagetaking and ransom efforts as historical revenue streams such as taxation and oil sales dry up, the research found. The study by foreign policy and security think tank the Henry Jackson Society suggests kidnapping brought in 10 to 30m US dollars (around £7.6m to £22.8m) for IS last year.
It also details how extremists are using sexual violence, including rape, sexual slavery and forced marriage, to boost recruitment, galvanise fighters and punish disbelievers.
Victims cited in the study include a 10-year-old Libyan girl who was repeatedly raped by traffickers while she was being held in a camp.