This week, the Prime Minister Theresa May hosted an event at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on tackling forced labour, human trafficking and modern day slavery.

During the event, she announced that the UK will be training new specialist investigators and will develop the expertise of prosecutors so that they will be better equipped to handle these very complex cases.

The Prime Minister also announced that the UK will double international development aid funds targeted at tackling modern slavery to £150 million. These funds will be used to support collaboration with countries from which victims come to the UK and countries they travel through to get here (sometimes exploited en route).

These initiatives are all greatly welcome although we are disappointed that the Prime Minister did not make any explicit commitments to new funds or initiatives specifically to support victims. Enforcement efforts to prevent trafficking and prosecute the criminals responsible is very important, but we also have a responsibility to help those who have been exploited to recover.

CARE will continue to urge the Government to support Lord McColl of Dulwich’s Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill and to take action to improve the support available for victims.

You can read the Prime Minister’s full speech on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website here.