Modern slavery is mostly a hidden crime, and to get a true picture of prevalence is very challenging. It is an umbrella term and can include:
- human trafficking;
- slavery;
- servitude; and
- forced or compulsory labour.
Identified potential victims to the year ending March 2019 were from over 100 different countries of origin. The same statistics also identify that children under the age of 18 made up around 45% of referrals to the National Referral Mechanism. Examples in relation to children and young people include county lines, sexual exploitation and labour exploitation.
More information such as survivor stories can be found at unseenuk.org.