Modern slavery and exploitation are present in every single community in the UK. It can take many forms, including sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, domestic servitude and exploitation in criminal activity, such as county lines drug supply. Victims are forced, coerced or deceived into exploitation, often over a period of time, becoming trapped in a situation they cannot escape. Victims come from all different backgrounds and can be any age, gender or ethnicity.
Hidden in plain sight
The Global Slavery Index estimates that the number of people trapped in modern slavery in the UK is around 122,000. Many of these people are never identified or find formal support. In 2024, 19,125 people were referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) – this was a 13% increase compared to the preceding year.
However, the national context is changing. Changes in policy on immigration, human rights and victim protection is making many victims more reluctant to come forward. For those who do, the NRM system brings its own complex challenges for individuals carrying complex trauma trying to navigate a victim decision-making system.
What about children and young people?
More and more children are being drawn into exploitation through the internet. In 2023/24, online grooming crimes reached record levels across the UK. According to research by NSPCC, there were 7,062 ‘Sexual Communication with a Child’ offences – up 89% since 2017/18 when the offence first came into force.
Online, it can be easier to pretend to be someone you’re not and this is how criminals begin to form a relationship of trust with the young person. Perpetrators typically use open web platforms such as social media and video game chat apps as the first point of contact with children. They then encourage children to continue communication on private and encrypted messaging platforms where abuse can proceed undetected.
Grooming techniques can be used to prepare children for sexual abuse and exploitation, radicalisation or criminal exploitation. Offenders build trust digitally, then use threats, blackmail, or emotional control to move the child into real-world exploitation, whether sexual, criminal, or labour related. In many cases, online grooming transitions seamlessly into physical trafficking.
The other main way in which children and young people in the UK are being drawn into exploitation is through county lines gangs. The criminals behind county lines are ruthless and use sophisticated grooming techniques to build trust then coerce children into criminal activity, and shocking levels of violence to keep them compliant.
While victims can be of any background, many county lines victims feel they have a ‘lack of options’ in their life, with family challenges or struggling to belong. Against this backdrop, it is vital that communities work together to intervene earlier and break the cycle of poverty, isolation, abuse and exploitation.
The Clewer Initiative has a raft of county lines training courses and resources for schools, teachers and young groups which help educate young people about county lines gangs.
Together Liverpool also delivers Behind County Lines training in Liverpool Diocese and continues to offer this service.
Education is vital if vulnerable young people are to resist the lure and coercion of criminals.
The church response: fighting modern slavery in our communities
Because the church is present in all communities and at the heart of many, it is in a unique position to take action against modern slavery. We believe that the resources to prevent and tackle this issue are already in our churches and faith communities.
Prevention can take a few forms: before trafficking awareness and root cause intervention, early identification of victims, and the prevention of re-trafficking due to effective treatment of harms.
There is an urgent and obvious need to raise awareness of modern slavery and equip individuals and communities to know how to spot the signs of slavery and report suspicions so that criminal gangs are disrupted and victims supported.
Time and again, law enforcement officers state that the single most useful thing we can do at The Clewer Initiative is to educate the public about the crime. The Police and statutory bodies are reliant on members of the public to be their eyes and ears and report suspicions.
There is also a huge need to mobilise churches to care for the most vulnerable in society and help build resilient communities where crime and abuse cannot get a foothold. This preventative approach is vital as it recognises that vulnerability in both individuals and communities can lead to modern slavery and exploitation. We seek to enable and empower churches to recognise and interrupt this cycle, providing safe and trauma-informed spaces to walk with survivors and protect the vulnerable.
What is the Diocese of Liverpool doing?
The Diocese of Liverpool are committed to fighting Modern Slavery by raising awareness across our churches and schools. In collaboration with Together Liverpool, the Diocese is launching a Modern Slavery Awareness Ambassadors programme. This programme will train representatives across parishes in the Diocese of Liverpool to be able to spot the signs of slavery and know where and how to report concerns.
Ambassadors will run an occasional activity on antislavery in their church and receive information and to cascade to their church communities.
If you are interested in joining about the Modern Slavery Ambassador Network, consider attending the Children in the Shadows Revisited Lent Course created by the Clewer Initiative and delivered by the Diocese of Liverpool and Together Liverpool. Sign up here.
If you would like to hear more about the network and the Diocese of Liverpool’s upcoming Modern Slavery Awareness projects, email simone.dawes@liverpool.anglican.org
What can I do?
There are many ways you can join the fight against modern slavery and exploitation.
A first step is to increase your own awareness and understanding of modern slavery and exploitation. Could you:
- organise some safeguarding or general training about modern slavery for adults at your church?
- complete the Church of England’s free Modern Slavery and Safeguarding E-Learning course (written by The Clewer Initiative)
- use one of The Clewer’s interactive and film-based courses for churches or individuals to find out more about modern slavery in the UK and beyond? We have six courses including Women in the Shadows, Children in the Shadows Revisited, True Freedom, Waiting in the Wilderness and Journeys.
Secondly, join our national network of activists. Help us raise awareness of modern slavery in your local area – there are lots of different ways you could do this.
Some people have hosted an event and invited speakers from the Police or local Anti-Slavery Partnership to share what they witness and how people can help. Others have organised film screenings to show dramatised versions of survivor stories from our YouTube channel. Others have organised art exhibitions or county lines education evenings.
As well as one-off events, you could download posters from The Clewer Initiative’s website about the signs of exploitation and display them in your community halls or start following us on socials and use this medium to share information about modern slavery with your friends and family.
Also, make sure you download our Safe Car Wash App to use when visiting local hand car washes. By visiting a hand car wash and submitting a report, you can help law enforcement end modern slavery and exploitation at hand car washes.
Finally, please commit to praying for victims of modern slavery and for organisations that work in the field – encourage your church leader to pray about modern slavery regularly in church services. We need your prayers!
Bio for Lois:
Lois Bosatta is the Director of The Clewer Initiative. Lois’ passion for fighting modern slavery and human trafficking began in 2012 when she became aware of the work of various anti-trafficking organisations and activists through a documentary shown at her student church. Since then, she has pursued knowledge, experience and commitment to this cause, motivated by her personal faith. This has included active leadership in missional community projects, street outreach and family support with survivors of slavery. She completed the University of Nottingham’s Masters in Slavery and Liberation and was Head of Business Engagement and Impact at the Rights Lab, a world-renowned modern slavery research unit, before joining The Clewer Initiative.
