Preventing Human Trafficking in the UK: Developing a Prevention-centred and Holistic Governmental Strategy
Online
20th Feb 2025 to 20th Feb 2025
Date of Event: Thursday, February 20th 2025
Time of Event: 9:30 AM — 1:00 PM GMT
Place of Event: Webinar
Human trafficking and modern slavery remain urgent issues in the UK, with over 17,000 individuals referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2022, the UK’s primary system for identifying and supporting survivors (Home Office, 2022). However, the NRM is hampered by significant delays, with an average wait time of 526 days from referral to decision, affecting survivors’ stability and recovery (Williams, 2024). British nationals account for 25% of referrals, alongside high numbers of Albanian (27%) and Eritrean nationals (7%). Children represent 41% of all reported victims, with child referrals rising fivefold since 2015, underscoring an urgent need for tailored interventions for vulnerable minors (Modern Slavery PEC, 2023). Despite these escalating numbers, prosecution rates are low; in 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service recorded only 395 prosecutions and 301 convictions for modern slavery, representing less than 2% of identified cases (Crown Prosecution Service, 2023).
In response, the UK government has introduced multiple measures to address modern slavery. Since 2016, £17.8 million has been invested in the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit within the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), strengthening law enforcement’s capacity. There are now over 4,500 active modern slavery investigations, a significant rise from fewer than 200 cases in 2015. Additionally, the UK has invested over £40.4 million through the Modern Slavery Fund to support international efforts, working with countries like Romania through joint action plans that target trafficking prevention, prosecution, and victim reintegration (UK Parliament Committees, 2023). The 2023 White Paper on International Development further outlines commitments to combat trafficking through global standards and cooperative efforts.
However, recent legislative changes have drawn criticism. The Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act (NABA) have been criticised for prioritising migration control over victim protection, potentially excluding trafficking survivors arriving through irregular routes from access to support. NABA also allows the Home Office to label individuals with criminal records as “public order threats,” which could impact protections for survivors coerced into illegal activities (International Organisation for Migration, 2023). Advocates argue that these laws may discourage victims from coming forward and emphasise the importance of keeping modern slavery separate from migration policy to ensure survivor protection remains central.
This symposium offers local authorities, police, health professionals, criminal justice agencies, academics, and charities a crucial platform to discuss effective methods for identifying and disrupting modern slavery. Delegates will have the opportunity to examine current policies, share best practices, and enhance local partnership strategies for increased reporting and sustained support for victims. This collaborative event will equip participants with the knowledge and tools needed to address modern slavery comprehensively and strengthen protections for survivors.
Programme
- Evaluate current government policies on tackling human trafficking and modern slavery, including recent legislative impacts such as the Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act (NABA).
- Develop strategies for effective, coordinated responses across national, regional, and local law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking more efficiently.
- Determine best practices for collaboration between local authorities and law enforcement to target, identify, and disrupt human trafficking operations.
- Explore methods to engage businesses in preventing human trafficking in their supply chains, focusing on compliance and awareness-raising initiatives.
- Assess approaches to providing sustained, multi-agency support for survivors post-NRM decision, aiming to minimise the risk of re-trafficking and address the lengthy wait times within the NRM process.
- Analyse ways to improve staff training across relevant agencies and enhance community engagement to increase awareness and understanding of modern slavery and human trafficking.
- Identify support mechanisms that enable victims to safely give evidence against traffickers, thus improving prosecution rates and addressing challenges posed by low conviction statistics.
- Formulate strategies for increasing the quality and quantity of NRM referrals from NGOs, ensuring victims are recognised and receive necessary support.
- Explore new avenues for cooperation with EUROPOL and other European agencies post-Brexit to strengthen international collaboration in combating trafficking networks.