Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking
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Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking A guide for the Church Community By Alison Ussery, Haven of Light - Foreword from the Bishop of St Asaph - Introduction - Definitions & Facts : Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking : Human Trafficking & People Smuggling : The World Today : The Situation in the UK - Signs & Indicators - A Biblical Perspective - International Action - Practical suggestions of what we can do Foreword from the Bishop of St Asaph Slavery is the sort of word that brings ancient times, or nineteenth century colonialism to mind. We don’t associate it with north Wales in our own society and times. And yet, that is the ugly reality which has been uncovered. In 2019, the Governing Body of the Church in Wales recognised that human trafficking and modern slavery were crimes against humanity, and committed us to exploring every opportunity to play our part in working to combat modern slavery, its prevention, detection, and in offering support for its victims. Ali Ussery, who works with north Wales based Haven of Light to combat modern slavery, has been working with the diocese to help us to understand this contemporary injustice, and to respond at a practical level. This booklet is essential reading and a call for action, and I commend it to you. Bishop Gregory Cameron Definitions & Facts Throughout the world today there are over 40 million men, women and children who have lost their freedom as human beings and are being bought and sold as commodities. The terms ‘modern slavery’ and ‘human trafficking’ are used to describe this serious and growing global crime where criminals are taking advantage of vulnerable people to make a profit, with no care for their wellbeing. It does not have to involve the movement across international borders or around a particular country, as ‘trafficking’ may suggest, and there are different forms of modern slavery, including forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, organ harvesting, forced criminality, forced marriage or adoption. Criminals are making an estimated profit of over $150 billion, as individuals are kidnapped, trapped, forced, beaten and coerced into activities against their will. Often people are tricked and caught in bonded labour, deceived by friends or even sold by family members and acquaintances. Human Trafficking and People Smuggling Human trafficking and people smuggling are not the same. Victims of trafficking do not need to be taken anywhere to be a victim. Both human trafficking and people smuggling are basically businesses run by criminals to make big profits. They take advantage of the situation that people find themselves in, often through desperation in fleeing conflict or poverty, or simply trying to find a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Smuggling involves illegal border crossing and usually voluntary payment for the service. Trafficking and slavery involve coercion, force, deception and violence and the crime is committed against the person as a commodity. Modern Slavery: A Guide for the Church Community 2 The World Today For those of us living in the so called ‘developed world’, society has become a disposable culture in many ways, where products can easily be replaced. Often, we may not think about from where we are getting our clothes, food and other items. Some of the food products that we consume will have been grown and harvested through slave labour; cocoa, coffee and even fruit and vegetables. As the world develops, with new technology and batteries to replace non-sustainable power, are we aware that the cobalt and coltan needed for our laptops and mobile phones are likely to have been mined by children? Mica is a mineral extracted from dangerous mines in Asia and Africa, for makeup and the sheen in paint for our cars. Children as well as adults are losing their lives in these dangerous mines on a weekly basis, yet very little is being done to save them from such peril. Men and women in Asia are working and living in factories and sweatshops producing clothes for our shops. Often conditions are hazardous with risk of fire and unsafe buildings due to lack of regulations. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Martin Luther King Jn. The Situation in the UK Modern slavery is happening in cities, towns and rural communities throughout the UK. In 2018, The Walk Free Foundation estimated that there were 136,000 victims of modern slavery in the UK, and the problem is growing. In the UK, including in Wales, exploitation has been identified and survivors rescued from farms and factories, commercial cleaning companies, care homes, illegal brothels, car washes, nail bars, fast food outlets, scrap yards, situations of domestic servitude, cannabis cultivation, county lines drug dealing and other places of labour and sexual exploitation. Individuals who find themselves homeless are at great risk of being exploited, as well as vulnerable members of society and young people. Criminals prey on the weak and show no regard for their safety. In the UK, when concerns are raised about the well-being of an individual who might be in an exploitative situation, law enforcement agencies are called to take the person to safety and work towards bringing the criminals involved to justice, in accordance with the 2015 the Modern Slavery Act. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is used as the official framework for identifying potential victims, protecting and supporting each person as their case unfolds. For adults this is voluntary, and numbers continue to rise each year. It is very clear however that many potential victims do not follow this route due to fear of the authorities, or the formality of the system, or may even believe that they are not victims. Conviction rates for criminals are very low, which is a very serious concern as justice is not being done. In fact, globally the conviction rate for this serious crime is known to be 0.02% (US TIP Report). This is unacceptable and should be challenged at all levels in society. Modern Slavery: A Guide for the Church Community 3 Signs and Indicators Signs that Someone may be a Victim There is no single set of signs that would immediately confirm that someone is a victim, but there are various indicators where concerns might be raised, including; - does the person act in fear or anxiety? - does he or she seem under the control of someone? - is this person living where they work? - is he or she living in unsuitable or over-crowded accommodation? - does he or she not have money or ID documents? - do they seem unwell or unhealthy? - are they able to communicate with you? Signs of a possible Venue / Location Individuals who are caught in situations of exploitation are usually held against their will. - is there a property that seems to have too many people living there or coming and going? - are these people being taken as a group to work in shifts in vehicles together? - does a property seem to be being used as a brothel? - if you use a local car wash, do the workers have proper clothes and protective equipment? Does one person take the money every time? - if you see groups of workers in the fields picking crops – do they have correct clothing? Are they working excessive hours or not having breaks? - In any business that you may observe, do the workers seem like they suit that job? Is there someone controlling their activities with potential force or violence? - children should not be working in many work places. - are you ever asked to pay by ‘cash only’ Transport and Travel People are transported into the country or area, through airports, ports and the major (and minor) roads. At this point in their journey they may not know that they are about to be forced into sexual or labour exploitation, and so it can be difficult for authorities to identify or safeguard them. In 2019 39 bodies were found in a shipping container in Essex, and this account has highlighted the ends that criminals will take to make money at the ultimate expense of others. These individuals were young people from Vietnam who had been promised good jobs and wages. Many of their family members had taken out loans to assist them in their journey for a ‘better life’. The lies and deception, and ultimately their deaths highlight the horrors of smuggling and trafficking. Minibuses are used by gangs to take groups of workers to and from places of work so that they can control their movement and keep them away from any opportunities to find help. Individuals are controlled by force and fear. Modern Slavery: A Guide for the Church Community 4 A Biblical Perspective There are many references throughout the Bible to God’s compassion for the world and its people. God’s character is one of love, and he wants us to bring compassion to others, to speak up for the voiceless and stand against the evils that cause their suffering. As people of faith we are instructed to bring justice and compassion to those who need our help. As people of faith, we are instructed to “pursue justice and justice alone.” (Deut 16.20). In Zechariah 7: 9-10 the Lord says, “Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.” We are expected to live our lives showing kindness and compassion to those around us as part of our worship to God. Scripture says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” Isaiah 58:6 We are living in a time in history where, as human beings ‘we’ are not only failing to care for others adequately, but often turning our backs to the suffering that millions are enduring throughout the world.