A recent report by anti-slavery charity Unseen has revealed concerning trends in modern slavery, with Indians emerging as the most common nationality among potential victims for the first time. The report highlights a 30% increase in potential victims within the UK adult social care sector, raising alarm about the extent of exploitation in various industries. In 2023, victims originated from 106 countries, up from 99 the previous year, with Indian, Romanian, Albanian, Vietnamese, and Chinese nationals among the most frequently reported. Despite efforts to raise awareness and mobilise support, ongoing concerns persist regarding the hostile environment towards migrants, hindering victims from seeking assistance. The report emphasises the urgent need for enhanced efforts to combat modern slavery and provide support to victims. Labour abuse remains the predominant form of exploitation, with a notable increase in cases within the care sector. Alarming new trends include forced surrogacy, organ harvesting, and forced scamming, underscoring the severity of the issue. While efforts are underway to address modern slavery, continued collaboration and support are crucial to protect vulnerable individuals and eradicate this barbaric crime.
Dr Bashabi Fraser, CBE an award-winning poet, children’s writer, editor, translator and academic told Asian Voice, “The rising number of Indians brought into Britain for the care sector, is an indicator of the need in this country that has facilitated the modern slavers to take this opportunity to exploit people who are in desperate need of a job. What is at fault is a systematically broken NHS and care in care homes (public and private) and the community, a huge section in dire need of carers, a poorly paid workforce that the locals do not knowingly want to join, and immigrant workers who are not warned of the ground reality they are likely to face here in the UK. Also, the high unemployment rate in India which has one of the largest populations of youths under 35 in the world, forces the young to look for work outside India. Both the Indian and the British governments need to have a dialogue about this in order to resolve it. The recruiters who are responsible for this exploitation of human beings, need to be brought to account and exposed, to send a warning message to those who have fallen into their trap or could fall into this hell of modern slavery in the near future.”
