When Victims of Modern Slavery Became Offenders: The Unravelling of the UK’s Modern Slavery Agenda – Journal of Human Trafficking

Posted March 14th, 2024 in defences, duress, forced labour, news, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

‘While victims of trafficking who commit crimes have a defense in law in England and Wales, this has not been without controversy in the courts and is increasingly threatened in practice as British government ministers heap suspicion on those formally seeking recognition as victims of modern slavery. In the first part of this article, we review recent criminal cases decided by the Court of Appeal in England and Wales to explore why it is that some victims of trafficking break the law. These cases reveal the impossible choices that constitute the nexus of circumstances that lead victims to offend. In the second part of this article, we examine the cases of three people convicted of modern slavery and allied immigration crimes that are excluded from the statutory defense in English and Welsh law to show how morally comprehensible the commission of serious crimes can be in the aftermath of exploitation, destitution and trauma. We conclude by urging academics and activists in the modern slavery field to be vocal about how few victims fit their stereotypes and to help articulate the irreconcilably difficult choices that explain why some break the law in immigration contexts that are overtly hostile toward them.’

Full Story

Jounal of Human Trafficking, 27th February 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

Luton drug dealers jailed for modern slavery offence – BBC News

‘Two men who sent a vulnerable teenager more than 100 miles from his home to sell Class A drugs have been jailed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims of Modern Slavery Overlooked Due To Lack of Training, Report Finds – Each Other

Posted February 14th, 2024 in children, employment, forced labour, government departments, local government, news by sally

‘A new report by The Rights Lab and ECPAT, a leading children’s rights organisation, has highlighted the ways in which the UK government and local authorities could become more effective at handling child protection in relation to modern slavery.’

Full Story

Each Other, 14th February 2024

Source: eachother.org.uk

British boys more at risk of modern slavery than any other group in UK, says study – The Guardian

‘Almost half of the victims of criminal exploitation in the UK are British boys aged under 18, according to a report calling for new laws to acknowledge them as ­victims of modern slavery.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Indonesian fruit picker landed in debt bondage challenges Home Office – The Guardian

‘When Ismael found himself sleeping rough at York station in the late October cold he struggled to understand how an opportunity to pick berries 7,000 miles from his home had so quickly ended there.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modern slavery in social care surging since visa rules eased – The Guardian

‘Modern slavery is surging in social care since ministers relaxed immigration rules to fill thousands of vacancies, with a growing wave of exploitation leading to workers being ripped off or living in squalor.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shakira Spencer: three found guilty of murdering woman ‘treated like a slave’ – The Guardian

Posted December 12th, 2023 in forced labour, murder, news, preventing lawful & decent burial by sally

‘Three people have been found guilty of murdering a vulnerable woman who was tortured, starved and “treated like a slave” over many months, reducing her to a “gaunt and skeletal” appearance.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modern slavery survivors ‘imprisoned for crimes they were forced to commit’ – The Independent

Posted November 28th, 2023 in duress, forced labour, guilty pleas, imprisonment, news, sentencing, victims by tracey

‘Survivors of modern slavery are being sent to prison for crimes they were forced to commit and not being identified for help, new research suggests.’

Full Story

The Independent, 28th November 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Mandatory anti-slavery declarations risk becoming ‘box-ticking exercise’, say UK MPs – The Guardian

Posted September 12th, 2023 in forced labour, gambling, government departments, news by tracey

‘Campaigners and MPs have said anti-slavery declarations made mandatory by Theresa May risk becoming “a pointless box-ticking exercise” after it emerged that ministers took assurances from one previously slavery-linked company on trust.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th September 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK cannot ignore calls for slavery reparations, says leading UN judge – The Guardian

‘A leading judge at the international court of justice has said the UK will no longer be able to ignore the growing calls for reparation for transatlantic slavery.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd August 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modern slavery gangmasters exploit care worker shortage – BBC News

‘The number of modern slavery cases reported within the UK care industry has more than doubled in the past year.’

Full Story

BBC News, 25th July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chichester: Wife and carer jailed for enslaving disabled husband – BBC News

‘The wife and carer of a disabled man who they enslaved and left in squalid conditions have been jailed.’

Full Story

BBC News, 15th July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Slavery: room for reparations? – 3 Hare Court

‘In 2013, the Caribbean Community set up the CARICOM Reparations Commission to “prepare the case [for] reparatory justice for the Caribbean region’s indigenous and African descendant communities who are the victims of crimes against humanity in the form of genocide, slavery, slave trading and racial apartheid”. A decade on, the issue is rarely far from the headlines.’

Full Story

3 Hare Court, 14th June 2023

Source: www.3harecourt.com

UK crime agency to pursue up to 100 lawyers accused of helping traffickers – The Guardian

‘The National Crime Agency is preparing to pursue up to 100 lawyers it believes are helping traffickers abuse modern slavery laws to secure asylum for people entering the UK.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Cambridgeshire police may not be protecting vulnerable people – report – BBC News

Posted May 19th, 2023 in forced labour, news, police, trafficking in human beings by tracey

‘Cambridgeshire Constabulary might be missing chances to safeguard vulnerable people, inspectors have said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 19th May 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Suella Braverman’s claims modern slavery laws are being abused questioned by Home Office’s own report – The Independent

‘A Home Office report has raised fresh questions about Suella Braverman’s claims that modern slavery laws are being “abused” by small boat migrants.’

Full Story

The Independent, 4th May 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

What Could Artificial Intelligence Mean For Human Rights? – Each Other

‘If you have not heard of artificial intelligence (AI), you most likely will have heard of the likes of facial recognition and online chatbots, both of which use it. While AI has the potential to help solve societal challenges, there has been a mass call for global regulation to ensure it is used in responsible and inclusive ways. In May, the European Parliament will vote on the AI Act, which will set out to regulate AI technologies in order to protect human rights. In an open letter to members of the parliament’s leading committees, civic organisations including Amnesty International have called for the following to be prohibited: automated risk assessments and profiling systems; predictive analytical systems used to interdict, curtail and prevent migration; and “deception detectors” and remote biometric identification cards (RBI) in the context of migration and border management.’

Full Story

Each Other, 27th April 2023

Source: eachother.org.uk

Human trafficking and modern day slavery – House of Commons Library

Posted March 28th, 2023 in forced labour, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘Modern slavery is an umbrella term which encompasses human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour.’

Full Story

House of Commons Library, 27th March 2023

Source: researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk

Experts Call on UK Government to End Worker Exploitation in the Care Industry – EIN Blog

‘The global economic crisis has pushed many vulnerable people around the world into seeking employment opportunities abroad. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are subjected to modern slavery practices. The UK is no exception as reports of exploitation of migrant care workers by employers and recruiters have emerged in recent years. According to a report from the Centre for Social Justice, an estimated 13,000 people have been subjected to modern slavery in the UK.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 13th March 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

What Does the Illegal Migration Bill Mean for Modern Slavery? – Each Other

‘Following the publication of the Illegal Migration Bill, EachOther summarises developments in the Bill and what it could mean for victims of modern slavery in the UK.’

Full Story

Each Other, 14th March 2023

Source: eachother.org.uk