The Adult Modern Slavery Protocol for Local Authorities outlines the signs to be aware of in order to recognise when a person may be a victim.

Indicators are likely to be linked to the type of exploitation and victims are likely to be reluctant to disclose their status due to fear of reprisals or may not recognise that they are being exploited.

The following should be considered as signposting potential concerns that should always lead to further investigation and consideration of an NRM referral:

Conversation

• Fearful, anxious and withdrawn
• Unable to speak local language
• Refuses or reluctant to talk to a person in authority or provide personal details
• Does not recognise themselves as having been trafficked or enslaved
• Tells their stories with obvious errors
• Has a prepared story, very similar to those that other adults have given
• Is unable or unwilling to give the name and address of the employer

Behaviour/Appearance

• Appears to be missing for periods
• Is known to beg for money
• Having tattoos or other marks indicating ‘ownership’ by their exploiters
• Victims may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, which can result in the following symptoms: hostility, aggression, difficulty in recalling details or entire episodes, difficulty concentrating

Work

• Wearing unsuitable clothing i.e. flip flops in winter; no helmet on a construction site
• Is required to earn a minimum amount of money every day
• Poor health & safety equipment, no health & safety notices and unhygienic, unsafe working conditions
• Excessive working hours, no days off and little spare time to get lunch etc.
• (Perception of) debt bondage
• No or limited access to earnings or labour contract
• Excessive wage reductions or financial penalties
• Movement of individuals between sites or working in alternate locations

Freedom of Movement

• Is accompanied by a person who insists on remaining with them at all times
• Limited freedom of movement
• Limited or no social interaction and poorly integrated into the community
• Dependence on employer for a number of services - for example work, transport and accommodation
• Limited contact with family
• Never leaving the house without permission from an employer
• Only leaving the house as a group

Health

• Shows signs of physical or sexual abuse and/or has contracted STIs or has an unwanted pregnancy
• Has not been registered with or attended a GP practice
• Appears to services (doctor/council) only in the final months of a pregnancy
• Bruises, cigarette burns and untreated injuries
• Broken bones that haven’t healed properly
• Malnourished
• Learning difficulties or drug/alcohol dependent
• Dental problems and poor hygiene
• Neurological symptoms, headaches, dizzy spells, memory loss
• Gastrointestinal symptoms (symptoms relating to the stomach or intestines)
• Musculoskeletal symptoms (symptoms relating to the bones or muscles)
• Work related injuries often through poor health and safety measures
• Signs of mental health issues e.g. trauma, PTSD, panic attacks etc.

Accommodation

• Workers are required to pay for food or accommodation via deductions from pay
• Home delivery meal packaging
• Crammed/rough sleeping conditions inc. ‘beds in sheds’
• Cars or minibuses picking up at unusual times
• Not eating with the rest of the family and no private sleeping place or sleeping in a shared space
• Frequent visitors to residential premises
• Lack of family photos and personal belongings
• Post stacked up and discarded envelopes on floor
• A script by a telephone on making benefits claims
• Unable to show any autonomy over accommodation e.g. no tenancy, bills, or other paper trail including bank account in their own name

Journey

• May have entered the country irregularly or their visa has run out (note that they may be from the UK or be a foreign national with legal status to be in the UK)
• Travel in a group, often with people who do not speak the same language
• May have had their journey (or visa) arranged by someone other than themselves
• Has to pay off exorbitant debt e.g. for travel costs, before having control over own earnings/documents

Employer

• Employer reports them as a missing person
• Employer accuses person of theft or other crimes related to their escape
• Employer speaking on their behalf
• Employer unable to produce documents required when employing migrant labour
• Difficult to establish/prove relationship between adult and child(ren)
• Single adult is contact for a large number of children / families / workers

Documents/Immigration

• Has no passport or other means of identification
• Has false travel/identity documentation
• Is unable to confirm names and addresses of employer / contacts / home / workplace in UK
• Does not appear to have money but does have a mobile phone
• Is in possession of money and goods which are not accounted for
• Coerced to apply for asylum or warned not to apply for asylum
• Fear of revealing immigration status or lacks knowledge on current immigration status