Human Trafficking and Exploitation can happen everywhere, so look for the signs. This list is not exhaustive and not all indicators will be present in all situations.
General indicators
- Passport or documents held by someone else.
- Others speaking for people you are talking to.
- Expression of fear, anxiety or hypervigilance.
- The person is withdrawn or submissive
- Excessive working hours.
- Highly distrustful of law enforcement or authorities.
- Person has false documents.
- Found in/connected to a location likely to be used for exploitation.
- Not knowing the address of where they work or live.
- Poor or substandard living accommodation.
- Injuries apparently as a result of an assault.
- Injuries apparently from restraint measures.
- Lack of access to earnings.
- Any evidence of control over movement, either as an individual or a group.
- The person acts as if instructed by another.
- Afraid of saying what their immigration status is.
- Their appearance suggests general physical neglect.
- They appear to be moving location frequently.
- They are not registered with a GP, nursery or school.
- They have old or serious injuries left untreated or treated late and are vague and reluctant to explain how the injury occurred.
- They give a vague and inconsistent explanation of where they live, their work or schooling.
Potential signs of sexual exploitation
- Occupants are rarely seen outside.
- Occupants of premises change regularly.
- Male callers day and night, staying for only a short time.
- Sexual debris such as condoms, call cards, advertisements.
- Potential signs of forced labour
- Large number of individuals living in the same address.
- Occupants change regularly.
- Van transporting people at unusual times of the day and/or night.
- Workers movements are monitored and/or controlled by others.
- Workers may seem fearful of employers, police or any other external agency and poorly integrate with the wider community.
- Employers, or someone else, is holding their passport and/or legal documents.
- Workers have no days off or holiday time.
- Workers display signs of physical abuse i.e. bruises, cuts and signs of untreated medical problems.
- Workers display signs of malnutrition, dehydration, exhaustion and poor personal hygiene.
Potential signs of domestic servitude
- The person is rarely allowed out of the house, unless their employer or guardian is with them.
- They have no private space or a proper place to sleep, e.g. on the floor or sofa.
- They have a poor diet or are given the family’s leftover food to eat.
- They are subject to mental, physical, sexual abuse, threats or other cruelty.
- A child may have poor attendance at school, no access to education, and no time to play with their peers.
- There is no interaction with the family, friends or other authorities.
- Multiple female foreign nationals living at the same address.