Spot the signs

…and you could save a life.

Trafficking is a global crime affecting nearly 50 million people a year. For traffickers, it’s a lucrative business. For women, children and men trapped in slavery, it’s devastating. And it must be stopped.

Trafficking and modern slavery can be hidden in plain sight: houses, flats, factories, car washes, building sites…places in your neighbourhood that you might walk past every day. Here are some quick tips to help you spot the signs, and what to do if you have concerns.

What to look out for

  • People constantly guarded or accompanied by others when outside

  • Indicators of physical or mental abuse, such as cuts and bruises that go untreated, visible anxiety and nervousness of speaking to other people

  • Debt, and limited or no access to money even though they may seem to be earning it

  • People regularly displaying limited movements eg leaving a house, visiting a shop, returning and not seem to be doing much else

  • People isolated from their local community and service providers

  • People who are frequently seen with an individual or group that they seem uncomfortable with

  • Houses/flats that seem to contain multiple people, especially women, with frequent comings and goings. There may be other signs that something’s not quite right with a property, eg a letterbox sealed from the inside

  • Workers appearing to do long hours and lacking adequate equipment eg protective clothing, maybe ‘led’ by one particular individual

  • Workers accompanied to and from work places in groups

  • Lack of passport and other legal documents

  • Group of workers/individuals of a similar nationality/age/gender who seem to have a leader of representative

  • People sleeping where they work

What to do

If you have concerns, or if you’re aware of someone who might have been trafficked or exploited, don’t wait to act. You’re highly unlikely to get a victim into trouble if you take action. Rather, you could save their life.

  • If there is immediate danger, call or text 999.

  • To report a concern, or if you are affected by these issues, call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700.

  • If you know or are an adult survivor who needs urgent help, you can call the Salvation Army on 0300 303 81 51.

For more in-depth information on spotting the signs of trafficking and different types of exploitation, visit StopTheTraffik.

If you're a survivor or a frontline worker and would like more info on how to refer yourself or someone else to Ella's, email referrals@ellas.org.uk

Again, please do something if you think you come across someone affected by trafficking and exploitation. Anything you do is highly unlikely to get them into trouble, and it might just save their life.

A survivor of trafficking sitting on a bed looking out of a window

Trafficking and modern must be stopped. Spot the signs, report your concerns and you could save a life. Photo: Tom Price/Ella’s.