The Signs

As part of the fight against human trafficking it is important that we are all aware of the scale and nature of the problem. Whether as employers, professionals in health and social services or simply as members of the public we all have a role to play in being vigilant and maintaining a high level of alertness to the possibility of trafficking crimes going on in our communities.

It is important that if you have any suspicions you should contact the Crimestoppers Helpline on 0800 555 111. What to look out for:

  1. On a farm or in a factory ...
    • Non-UK nationals doing farm or factory work
    • Poor or non-existent safety equipment
    • Workers do not have suitable clothing for the work they are doing
    • Workers live in overcrowded private rented accommodation. They don't know the address of where they live or work
    • Minibuses pick up non-UK nationals at unusual hours of the day and night
    • Bins at the accommodation are full of fast food packaging
    • Workers may seem fearful and poorly integrated into the wider community
    • They have no days off or holiday time
    • Employers or someone else is holding their PASSPORT and legal documents
  2. Domestic labour ...
    • A foreign national adult or child who lives with a family nearby, possibly as a domestic servant or nanny
    • The person is rarely allowed out of the house, unless their employer or guardian is with them
    • They are subject to abuse, insults, threats or violence
    • They have no private space or a proper place to sleep i.e. on the floor or sofa
    • They have a poor diet or are given the family's leftover food to eat
    • If they are a child, they may have poor attendance at school, no access to education and no time to play
    • The person does not interact much with the family
  3. In a sauna or massage parlour ...
    • The women is a foreign national
    • She appears to be unhappy and unwilling to perform sexual acts
    • She is frightened or in physical pain
    • The women sees a large number of clients each day/night
    • She is able to keep little, or none, of the money she receives from clients
    • 'Special' services are offered including unprotected sex, often at a low price
    • She doesn't smile and is reluctant to cooperate
    • Food is paid for by another person
    • She has little or no time off
    • She may only know how to say sex-related words in English
  1. If you are traveling ...
    • A non-UK national child is traveling alone
    • The child does not seem to have many possessions but does have a mobile phone
    • The child is not traveling to the UK to meet his or her parent or guardian
    • The child is suspicious of adults
    • They are very afraid of being deported
    • They may show signs of inappropriate or sexualised behaviour towards men
  2. On your high street ...
    • A young, elderly or disabled foreign national who begs in public places or on public transport
    • They may show obvious signs at being abused such as bruises, cuts or mutilation
    • They seem fearful of adults (especially law enforcers) or their behaviour is jumpy
    • One adult is the guardian of a large group of children
    • A large group of adult or child beggars are moved daily to different locations but return to the same location every night
    • On public transport they move as a group, such as walking up and down the length or a train or bus
  3. Children in a home ...
    • A teenage girl meets an older male who becomes her boyfriend. Initially he flatters her, buys her gifts such as a mobile phone, and introduces her to alcohol or drugs. He makes her feel incredibly special
    • The man controls her more and more. He claims she owes him for drugs and forces her to do sexual favours as a means of payment
    • She is taken from her family home and returned after varying lengths of time; her relationship with her family or guardians gradually becomes severed
    • Pictures or films of her engaging in sex activities are used to make her feel guilty, fearful her family will find out. Her 'boyfriend' uses this to control her, making her sleep with his friends
    • He takes her to different flats (even in different towns or cities), getting her to sleep with different men
    • She may not know he is taking payment from these men either in money or illegal drugs