A report published this week by the Human Trafficking Foundation (HTF) warns of serious risks that victims leaving government funded safe houses will face further exploitation and hardship.

The Government currently provides support for victims for 45 days called the “reflection and recovery period”, but when those six weeks are over victims are required to leave the specialist support. When they do no one really knows what happens. The HTF report says this “in effect, allows victims to ‘disappear’, with no one being allocated responsibility for their future safety and welfare.”

Many victims who leave the 45 days of care are vulnerable. With no ongoing support or follow up, victims who may be entitled to claim benefits may struggle to do so. They can become destitute or street homeless. Even those who receive housing may be placed in unsuitable accommodation. The HTF researchers heard the story of one survivor who told them:

“I was placed in a hostel [...] In these hostels, guests do drugs, drink and fight with each other. I was bullied by one woman. Every Monday I would receive my money and buy food, which would be gone in one day. I had to give most of it to this woman because I was scared she could hurt me. She would bang at my door until I would hand over my food to her.”

Other survivors may end up relying on friends or relatives, but this may not be safe. For many the only people they know are those involved in trafficking and exploiting them. Some victims will return to their home country, but there are no formal processes to check that the situation they go back to is protected from the gangs involved in their trafficking.

Some victims find help from charities, but they have only limited resources. The Government needs to step in to ensure victims are supported not just in the initial period after they escape from exploitation, but to rebuild their lives for the long-term in a safe and secure environment.

CARE has been calling on the Government to increase the length of the reflection and recovery period from 45 days to 90 days, and we support the HTF report’s recommendations for new strategies to assist victims in their first year of recovery.