Elmore Community Services recently launched new research into the extent and nature of modern slavery in Oxford, which showed that previous figures may have been the tip of the iceberg. Commissioned by Oxford City Council, Researching the extent and nature of modern slavery in Oxford uses a case-based methodology that suggests that there may have been between 319 and 442 ‘possible’ or ‘very likely’ cases of modern slavery in Oxford City from April 2016 to January 2020.
Modern slavery includes the crimes of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced labour, forced criminality and organ harvesting. Victims might be working for organised groups or family members, and in a range of settings.
The report brings together data from partners across the public and voluntary sector that deal with the issue, and the analysis reveals that modern slavery in Oxford may be 200% higher than the level of cases reported to the police.
It can be a hidden crime and the nature of the coercive control used to enslave people means victims are often themselves unaware of the true nature of their exploitation. Victims can also be too scared of consequences to report their abuse to police. As a result, it can be the support services victims turn to that have the most contact with them.
An Action Plan will now be implemented to take forward the report recommendations.
Elmore are also launching a new podcast to go along with the report. It’s a conversation with the UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner Dame Sara Thornton about how to spot the signs of slavery, report concerns, and ensure victims get support. Dame Sara gives her view on the research and what it means, as well as her national work to prevent UK modern slavery and support survivors.