Interview, Fireside Chat
Louise Hulland, broadcaster and journalist
- UK victim numbers are rising driven by an increase in county lines crimes, with pandemic and Brexit identified as significant potential future impacts.
- The 2015 Modern Slavery Act is cited globally as influential legislation, though pre-pandemic debates noted a four-year legislative gap for victim support that remains a focus for future filling.
- Traffickers operating in hidden sectors like nail bars and takeaways during lockdown have dispersed to unknown locations, a shift expected to be amplified globally and exacerbate issues for survivors losing routine and agency.
- Environmental refugees are projected to increase over coming decades, creating a toxic mix where vulnerable populations resulting from crises are targeted by traffickers.
- International cooperation is viewed as having high demand in the UK regarding trafficking cases, while a gap in specific victim assistance legislation was acknowledged as being left blank.
- Future improvement is anticipated as millennials and Gen Z develop spending power, shifting from previous generations' awareness to active accountability for societal change.