Human trafficking in the UK and Europe

When determining whether someone is a victim of modern slavery and/or human trafficking, general indicators may include:

• The individual is not free to come and go as he/she wishes
• The individual is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts
• The individual is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips
• The individual works excessively long and/or unusual hours, with few breaks
• The individual is transported to and from work
• The individual owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off
• The individual was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work
• High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations
• The individual is fearful, anxious, submissive, nervous/paranoid, avoiding eye contact
• The individual exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behaviour, particularly towards the authorities
• The individual seems to have poor physical health, including malnourishment or signs of physical/sexual abuse
• The individual has few or no personal possessions
• The individual is not in control of his/her own money or identification documents
• The individual is not allowed or able to speak for themselves
• The individual seems to have a lack of knowledge of their whereabouts and/or where they live
• The individual seems to have a loss of sense of time
• The individual seems to have numerous inconsistencies in his/her story

Trafficking is a crime which occurs in and across Europe - it is a crime which is hidden in plain sight. By definition, human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of exploitating them for profit. Human trafficking usually involves a third party (such as a recruiter) in addition to the victim and offender (or trafficker). The reality of trafficking is often quite different to what is depicted on film or TV; it's usually not people in chains or handcuffs. Human traffickers prey on the promise of a better future, or the need for support, employment, or a way out.

Europe is a source, transit and destination region for trafficking people in vulnerable circumstances into labour and sexual exploitation.

In Europe, traffickers profit from the trade in human lives with relative impunity as law enforcement across the region struggle to unify efforts to combat trafficking across borders.

As a result, many people in Europe have fallen victim to trafficking due to a fragmented, individualised criminal justice response. This is where IJM comes in: by working with police, governments and law enforcement, we can build a cohesive, cross-border regional response to trafficking in Europe.

IJM’s European Anti-Trafficking Programme, launched in Romania in 2019, aims to build a cohesive, cross-border response to trafficking in Europe.

The long-term goal of the programme is to protect 12 million people who are at-risk of trafficking across Europe.

So far, since the European Anti-Trafficking Programme began, we've trained over 390 police officers, labour inspectors, and others to respond to human trafficking. Plus, over 90 victims of trafficking have received support services support services from IJM and partners, and 20 traffickers have been convicted.

Since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, we’ve provided over 5,000 specialist support services to refugees who might otherwise have been exploited. From securing short-term accommodation and safe transport for families, to helping women who have been approached with suspicious offers of work or accommodation – we’ve been on the frontlines stopping trafficking.

More than one year on, refugees continue to be at risk as they search for longer-term jobs and accommodation. Thanks to your support, we’re continuing to protect people now, and in the months to come.

Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery in which someone deceives and sexually exploits another person for a profit.

Labour trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that uses deception, threats or violence to coerce someone to work for little to no pay.