This week, 16th to 22nd October 2023, is Anti-Slavery Week which features Anti-Slavery Day on Wednesday 18th October 2023.
Throughout the week organisations worldwide are holding events, sharing information and resources to help raise awareness of these important global issues.
There are over 50 million people living in slavery globally, despite being illegal in every country in the modern world. Modern slavery is the deception or coercion of an individual for the purpose of exploitation. This can include a number of illegal and unethical practices such as human trafficking, forced and compulsory labour, debt bondage, servitude and forced marriage.
In March 2023, the National Referral Mechanism released the latest figures revealing a 33% increase in referrals for potential victims of modern slavery compared to 2022.
At Ambitions Personnel we are committed to ensuring we deliver fair and equal opportunities for all.We partner with Stronger Together to demonstrate our commitment to tackling hidden labour exploitation in our supply chain, our clients and their stakeholders’ businesses.
It’s a common misconception that because the UK’s employment industry is fairly regulated that modern slavery is not a critical issue in this country. Sadly, it is. It’s likely that there are adults and children being exploited in every region of the UK right now.
Some victims of slavery may be forced to work in illegal jobs and inhumane conditions. Others may be in perfectly legitimate employment, for an established business, but the employer is unaware that their worker is being forced to against their will and are having their wages intercepted.
To a passer-by or an untrained eye, someone enslaved may look perfectly ordinary. That is why raising awareness of modern slavery is so essential.
Today, we want to highlight some of the potential signs or red flags, which might indicate someone is a victim.