Modern slavery

Sadly slavery is not confined to the history books. Human trafficking is a pernicious form of modern day slavery, abusing men, women and children for sexual exploitation, forced labour or domestic servitude.

Only last month 24 men were found held captive on a Travellers’ site in Bedfordshire for forced labour, some for up to 15 years. Trafficking is a magnet for organised crime and is highly lucrative.

Housing for Women helps young women who have been trafficked from abroad for sexual exploitation. Their stories are horrifying.

One young woman was forced to have sex with 30 men a day; another was sold by her mother; another was so damaged physically by her abusers that she is incontinent and awaiting reconstructive surgery.

We provide these women with temporary accommodation and support them through their trauma, the slow process of getting back their self-esteem and rebuilding their lives.

We help them return home or guide them through the asylum process to a productive, independent life.

The Olympic Games come to London next year and we fear the event will be a magnet for increased trafficking, yet only a handful of charitable projects provide specialist support.

The Salvation Army holds the government contract, but there is still so much unmet need. Organisations like ours rely on charitable funding for this work, which is becoming increasingly difficult to secure.

Anti-Slavery Day takes place on 18 October. The issue of human trafficking must be kept on the public agenda. Traffickers prey on the vulnerable and exploit their weaknesses. The human cost is devastating. Everyone should remember this on Anti-Slavery
Day.

Elizabeth Clarson is chief executive of Housing for Women

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