Friday 18 October 2024
Every year, Anti-Slavery Day provides an opportunity for individuals, charities, churches, schools, communities and businesses to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. It was created by the Anti-Slavery Day Act, a Private Members Bill introduced Anthony Steen CBE, now Chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation.
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people through the use of violence or deception in order to benefit from their work or service, typically in the form of forced labour or sexual exploitation for financial or personal gain.
People can be trafficked and exploited in many forms, including being forced into sexual exploitation, labour, begging, crime (such as growing cannabis or dealing drugs), domestic servitude, marriage or organ removal.
- An estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including 24.9 in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage.
- There are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world.
- 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children.
- Women and girls account for 71% of modern slavery victims.
Data source: UN / ILO
What is SJOG doing this year on Anti Slavery Day?
We're educating our colleagues, and all of the people that we come into contact with about slavery and human trafficking.
We're also working with other organisations working in this area to lobby the UK government on the changes we would like to see in the way people who have been subject to modern day slavery or trafficking are supported.
Modern day slavery – real stories
As part of our continuing effort to raise awareness of the consequences of modern day slavery, this newly commissioned film tells the story of people who have been subjected to this crime. These are stories directly from people who we support. Their identities have been protected.
We are immensely grateful for their contribution.
Our work to support people affected by modern day slavery
SJOG’s MDS services provide care and support to people affected by modern-day slavery and trafficking, and people who have experienced homelessness, abuse and require intensive mental health support.
Working in partnership with The Salvation Army as part of the Government’s Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC), teams across the country support people to reflect, recover and rebuild their lives.
We specialise in offering trauma-informed care (TIC) and work with partner organisations to provide a full range of support for different mental health needs including alcohol and substance misuse.
All of our safe houses have specialist support teams to provide and provide an environment for people affected by trauma due to trafficking and modern slavery to recover and rehabilitate.
Safe-houses
SJOG is currently the UK's largest provider of safe-houses for people subject to modern day slavery, offering a safe space and a supportive environment with specialist support to help people rehabilitate and recover from their experiences.
Accommodation provided is furnished and equipped to meet all basic needs with specialist personalised support 24-hours every day with outcome-focussed care plans.
Outreach Services
Outreach services based in London and the North West provide practical and emotional support to people to enable them to recover and rebuild their lives.
Comprehensive support across key areas:
- Health
- Financial security
- Education
- Employability
- Community integration
Support to access
- Health services
- Housing and move-on options
- ESOL
- Vicarious trauma support
- Signposting
- Mental health services
- Substance misuse support
Specialist support teams
Every member of our team is highly skilled and trained with each following a comprehensive learning pathway to be able to deliver specialised support to meet the needs of the people we support and ensure we are providing safe care and the highest level of support, which includes the following:
- Promoting independence
- Mental health
- Drug and alcohol related needs
- Assisting in employability
- Finding employment and training opportunities
- Multi-agency booking
- Signposting
- Active listening
- Safety
- De-escalation and crisis management
Our Impact*
Useful Links
- https://www.renate-europe.net/
- https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/
- https://www.coatnet.org/
- https://www.hestia.org/
- https://www.unseenuk.org/
Proud to be members of
Click above to watch an interview with one of the people we support in our safehouses. (Spoken in Punjabi with English subtitles)
