Modern Slavery Awareness

About this course.

This course raises awareness of modern slavery so that you can recognise the signs and know how to respond. Modern slavery is a serious crime and a grave abuse of human rights. It is happening in the UK today — hidden in plain sight, across many industries and communities — and everyone has a part to play in spotting and reporting it. The aim is not to turn you into an investigator, but to help you notice when something is wrong and to act safely and appropriately on that concern. The course explains what modern slavery is, the law and responsibilities, the common forms it takes, how to identify it (the situation of perpetrators and victims, and the practical indicators), how to respond and report through the proper channels including the National Referral Mechanism, and what a modern slavery statement is. Throughout, the subject is handled factually and sensitively.

Some of the situations described are distressing, but the descriptions here are deliberately non-graphic and focus on what you need to know to recognise and report concerns. By the end you will understand that modern slavery is rarely obvious. Victims are usually controlled in ways that keep them silent — through fear, debt, isolation and the removal of their identity. They may not recognise themselves as victims, and they very often do not ask for help. That places a responsibility on the rest of us to stay alert, to know the indicators, and to know exactly what to do when something does not add up. This course gives you that knowledge.