Campaign launched to fight forced labour in Leicestershire Garment Sector

In partnership with Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Leicester City Council, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and De Montfort University, we have joined up to launch a new campaign to tackle the issue of modern slavery through forced labour in Leicestershire’s Garment Sector.

The Garment Sector is one of the biggest industries in Leicestershire and there is the possibility that there are trafficked people working within this sector who are being exploited by criminal gangs.
 
In the past 12 months, Leicester Police have received 223 reports of modern slavery and human trafficking. In 2015, when a dedicated Leicester Police Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Engagement Team was set up, it had only received 15 modern slavery reports.

It is estimated that there are close to 100,000 people held in slavery in the UK, according to the Centre for Social Justice in July. This is much higher than previously believed. Between January to March this year, there were over 1,100 potential victims identified and referred nationally to the Modern Slavery Helpline.

The new six-week campaign was launched at the Leicester Business Festival on Monday 2 November, with a special Modern Slavery in Business event. The campaign has the hashtag #EndGarmentSectorSlavery and is predominantly online.

Other campaign activities will include bus stop advertising and an e-newsletter being sent to all Leicestershire garment manufacturing businesses to raise awareness and to promote how to contact Crimestoppers, to encourage people to speak up anonymously to get victims safeguarded.

Modern slavery is an international crime, which affects millions of people around the world of all ages. Forced labour or labour exploitation is the most common form of modern slavery. Victims are controlled through force, threats, coercion, fraud, deception and abduction.

Forced labour is sometimes hidden, but often people are exploited in plain sight. Victims come from a variety of backgrounds. They may be UK citizens, EU migrants or from outside the EU altogether. 

Signs of forced labour, collectively or individually may include:
 

• Individuals being threatened or experiencing actual harm
• Movement seemingly restricted or confined to a place of work
• Workers being unfamiliar with English, they may act as though they have been instructed, are distrustful, may show fear or anxiety, might scavenge for food or may resort to crime for food and/or money
• Debt bondage - tricked into working for little or no money to repay an endless cycle of debt
• Apparent withholding of wages or excessive wage reductions from another person or wages are paid into another person’s account. They may be charged for travel
• Workers who provide their own workwear, dressing inappropriately for the task being performed. They may wear the same clothes everyday
• Workers may not interact with colleagues, lack basic training, skills or licences
• Passports being withheld or other identification documents
• Threats of being reported to authorities, where the worker is of illegal status
• The apparent controlling of a worker by another, who might bring them to work, try to speak for them or act as an intermediary
• Workers not knowing their work or home address, they could live in multiple occupied houses and often with those they work with. They may live in poor or substandard accommodation.

“Crimestoppers is working closely with our partners to raise awareness of the insidious crime of modern slavery, to help businesses and organisations identify the factors that may indicate that a member of their workforce is being exploited.

“The garment sector remains extremely vulnerable to labour exploitation. Seasonal or temporary workers are also particularly vulnerable to exploitative practices.

“Please keep your eyes open for any suspicious signs that forced labour is happening and pass on any information to Crimestoppers charity whilst staying 100% anonymous. Always. We want to stop this crime from happening and get support to those who need it.

“We value safe communities. In over 32 years we have always kept our promise of anonymity to everyone who contacts us. Call freephone 0800 555 111 or use our anonymous online form. We cannot trace calls or get IP addresses. Not even we will know your identity when you contact us to pass on information.”

“Although there are many examples of good practice in the Leicester garment industry, we know that serious problems like modern slavery and forced labour do exist, and we are absolutely determined to do all we can to eradicate them.

“For the city council, this means supporting those agencies with powers in this area, such as the police and GLAA, as well as backing Crimestoppers’ campaign to raise awareness and get more people reporting problems so they can be investigated.

“No-one should be threatened, forced or exploited at work. If you think something is wrong, report it for free and anonymously to Crimestoppers, so that action can be taken.”

If a crime is in progress or someone is at imminent risk of harm, always call 999.