On Anti-Slavery Day (18 October), Crimestoppers is launching an awareness raising campaign to highlight potential exploitation and abuse of care sector workers across Greater Manchester. It comes as the charity appeals for people to report their concerns to them 100% anonymously.
Many care workers from overseas who are being exploited are recruited into roles to care for vulnerable people in our communities. This is because of the significant use of temporary working contracts and the conditions of employment.
It’s estimated there are at least 130,000 potential victims of slavery across the country. The true scale however remains unknown as most victims suffer in silence, behind closed doors.
Home Office data suggests the majority of exploited care workers are women from overseas, working long, gruelling hours – often 20 hours each day. Those most at risk appear to be from India, Zimbabwe and Nigeria and often earn as little as £2 per hour.
Some of these exploited care workers have paid huge sums of money to unscrupulous recruiters to come to the UK on special visas designed to fill vacancies in the care sector. In a recent case in Greater Manchester, a female care worker was threatened by her sponsor, who said he would lie to the authorities if she failed to pay him thousands of pounds for her visa, by claiming she was abusing residents in the care home.
Gary Murray, North West Regional Manager at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “You may work alongside someone, visit a care setting or an adult day care centre to see an older relative. We know victims of exploitation and abuse live in fear of the people who have trafficked or enslaved them. Many do not know their rights or how to raise concerns.
“Victims need people like us to speak up on their behalf, so please be aware so you can spot the signs of exploitation and contact us 100% anonymously. You could make a huge difference to someone’s life.”
Detective Inspector Tim Berry of Greater Manchester Police’s modern slavery team, said: “We are still working to understand the full scale of the problem of exploitation in the care sector in Greater Manchester. This type of exploitation targets the most vulnerable and we are working with partners to ensure victims are safeguarded and perpetrators are held to account and prevented from causing further harm. It is vital that victims and the wider public report any suspicions they may have to help us build the intelligence picture and enable authorities to intervene and support the victims.”
Crimestoppers offers a safe and secure way for people to pass on what they know about crime 100% anonymously and without ever speaking directly to the police.
The charity guarantees complete anonymity to everyone who comes forward with information. That means no police, no courts, no witness statements.
