There are more people in slavery today than at any other time in history
In 2010, the UK passed a landmark Act of Parliament that established Anti Slavery Day. This day (18th Oct) is used to spread awareness of modern slavery, battle human trafficking and exploitation, educate people on how to spot the signs of slavery and help you to get involved with the cause in a variety of ways.
Every year, Essential Recruitment get involved with Anti Slavery week, it is our duty as labour providers to do our bit towards combatting modern slavery.
As labour providers we conduct modern slavery checks on all candidates who register with us, to make sure that person is working at their own free will and for any candidates sharing an address, ensuring we know the relationship and checking they have all their own details, i.e. telephone number, e-mail address and most importantly, bank details.
This year we have been visiting our clients and candidates, to talk to them about the issues we are still facing in 2023, to let them know what signs to look our for and what to do if they need to report a suspicion.
Our Compliance Officer, Frankie has signed up for the ‘Squatober’ challenge in order to raise awareness of Modern Day Slavery, with all funds raised going to Anti-Slavery charities.
Here are some shocking facts about modern slavery
- An estimated 49.6 million people are in modern slavery around the world
- That means 1 in 150 people around the world are living in modern slavery
- Worldwide, 12 million children are in slavery
- 3.9m people are in slavery imposed by governments or state authorities
These are the signs to look out for in potential victims:
- They may appear to be under the control of someone else and reluctant to interact with others
- They may have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes every day or wear unsuitable clothes for work
- They may not be able to move around freely, and they may not have access to personal identification
- They may be reluctant to talk to strangers or officials including police officers or health workers
- They may appear frightened or withdrawn, or show signs of physical or psychological abuse
- They may be dropped off and collected for work always in the same way, especially at unusual times – very early or late at night
Familiarise yourself with the SOS Hand signs for modern slavery:
If you suspect anything in your workplace, please call the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 0800 0121 700.
To find out more, please visit https://www.antislavery.org/anti-slavery-day/
If you are currently seeking work and would like to have a chat with your local Essential office, please add your details into the below form and a Consultant will be in touch within 3 working days.
