The Centre for the Study of Modern Slavery at St Mary’s University has published a report describing the system for providing long term support for survivors of human trafficking as “not fit for purpose”.

The research, A Game of Chance?: Long-term support for survivors of Modern Slavery, identified gaps both in the support available to survivors in the period beyond the current reflection and recovery period and also a lack of knowledge among frontline personnel at various stages in a survivor’s journey of recovery. These gaps, the report found, often have severe consequences. Significant variation in the knowledge and the support available to victims across the country was also identified.

Key among the challenges that victims face is that being granted “victim status” does not bring with it any rights to access support services to remain in the UK. Coupled with a lack of knowledge in frontline agencies, this can leave victims homeless and unable to access publicly funded services.

Acknowledging the Government’s proposals to increase support beyond the NRM, the report nevertheless concludes that these “will not be sufficient to plug gaps in support”.

The report’s conclusions endorse Lord McColl’s Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill as a vital way of providing victims with rights to support beyond the initial recovery and reflection period. The report also recommends the development of a system of specialist professional Independent Modern Slavery Advocates, who can work alongside a victim helping them to understand their rights and access services. Similar roles already exist for victims of domestic or sexual violence and (at a trial stage) for child victims of modern slavery.

Other recommendations include greater training for decision makers within the NRM and for other statutory services who will encounter survivors. The report also calls for much better monitoring of victims’ experiences during and after the NRM process to allow for assessment of what forms of support work best.

Speaking at the launch of the report in the House of Lords today Lord McColl said:

“If we only help people escape from slavery and offer them emergency care and protection for a short period without helping them set up a new future for themselves, we will leave them right back in the vulnerable state that made them a target for traffickers in the first place. If we are to prevent and ultimately eliminate human trafficking, we must cut of the cycle of re-trafficking.”

CARE welcomes this report. We hope the Government will take note of its recommendations and adopt proposals to offer survivors of this terrible crime better and longer support.

To find out more about the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill click here.

Dr Carole Murphy, author of the report speaking at the launch in the House of Lords