Brexit as a driver of modern slavery?, 29 Mar 2017

...[D]espite the advances gradually being made in addressing modern slavery in the UK, the signing of Article 50 is likely to worsen the problem…four main problems are evident…1. Brexit will increase the demand for modern slavery…Signing Article 50 may ultimately help stem the flow of workers into the country…But who is going to replace them? Workers from the domestic labour force will fill some of the gaps, but companies are unlikely to be willing to improve wages and conditions to attract…sufficient numbers. So there will be greater opportunities for unscrupulous middlemen to traffic…workers from overseas or prey on vulnerable UK citizens to force them into exploitative situations…2. Brexit will facilitate exploitation…Modern slavery often occurs when workers do not fully understand their legal rights and status…Article 50 will create a period of increased uncertainty around legal status that will be a significant boon to exploiters…3. Brexit will increase the supply of modern slavery…Modern slavery occurs when people are vulnerable, either because of legal status, poverty, mental health, or drug and alcohol problems…The more the UK puts up barriers to people entering the country legally, the higher the risk of traffickers bringing them in illegally and pushing them into debt…perpetrators are adept at escalating…indebtedness and creating situations of debt bondage. 4. Brexit will turn victims into criminals…Our research found that many victims of forced labour in the UK were prosecuted under immigration offences rather than being identified as victims…the chances of this happening will increase because policing around immigration status is likely to intensify far more than around modern slavery.