Rise in potential trafficking victims locked up in the United Kingdom

The number of potential victims of human trafficking who have been detained has risen sharply over the last four years, a new report reveals.

The report, by four NGOs, notes that referrals of potential victims to immigration detention centres rose from 501 in 2017 to 1,611 in 2021 - a threefold increase.

Data suggests that more than 90% of victims who claim to have been trafficked are later confirmed to be genuine victims, after detailed investigations of their cases

Kerry Smith, chief executive of the Helen Bamber Foundation, one of the NGOs behind the new report, told The Guardian that detention can cause serious distress:

“Many of our clients have been detained by the Home Office only to be released again, their detention serving no purpose but causing them significant physical and mental harm. Immigration detention is a hugely damaging environment for survivors, leaving many feeling suicidal. We believe that a person’s recovery needs simply cannot be met in a detention setting.

“The Home Office frequently claims that people ‘abuse’ the system by claiming to be trafficked but over 90% of cases referred from detention are confirmed to be genuine victims of trafficking. There is no evidence of a process being abused – rather, people who have already been exploited and mistreated are experiencing further harm in an immigration system that is not fit for purpose.”

CARE has campaigned on behalf of trafficking victims for many years and was closely involved in the development of the UK's world-leading modern slavery legislation.

In recent months, we have raised concerns that rights and protections afforded to confirmed victims of modern slavery are insufficient, and in danger of being watered down.

To find out more about CARE's work in this area, visit out cause page: Human Trafficking | CARE