More women than men in contacts to anti-slavery charity helpline for first time

More female potential victims of exploitation in the UK than males have been identified by an anti-slavery charity helpline for the first time since it was launched nearly a decade ago.

Unseen said the findings “expose a deeply troubling trend” of women and girls being “targeted in cycles of abuse, forced labour, and sexual exploitation”.

A total of 4,839 potential victims of modern slavery were identified through contacts made to Unseen’s helpline in 2024.

Of the victims for which gender information was provided, there were 1,478 females, accounting for 53% of the total, compared to 1,306 males (47% of the total).

Of the females, 971 were women, 119 were girls and ages for the rest were not known.

The rise in the numbers of female potential victims is partly down to an increase in exploitation of migrant women in the care sector, the charity – which set up its helpline in 2016 – said.

Unseen’s latest report said potential victims of labour abuse in the care sector had almost doubled in a year, from 564 to 1,217.

Examples of labour abuse include employers not complying with the National Minimum Wage, employees being required to work long or excessive hours, and harassment, intimidation or bullying, the charity said.

While these cases demonstrate worker rights abuses, they do not involve the level of control common in instances of modern slavery, Unseen said.

The most common type of exploitation affecting females was sexual exploitation, followed by labour exploitation and domestic servitude, the charity said.

Unseen executive director Justine Carter said: “These individuals are not just numbers – they are real people who have been deceived, coerced, or forcibly trafficked into horrific situations.

“Many are subjected to physical and psychological abuse, often too afraid to seek help due to threats from their exploiters.”

Of the male potential victims for which age and gender were known, there were 1,038 men and 87 boys.

While the care sector remained the most common for potential victims, the construction industry overtook services – such as car washes and beauty salons – becoming the second biggest area for cases and potential victims.

Indian remained the most common potential victim nationality, but there was what the charity described as a “significant” rise by two-thirds for Chinese potential victims, with 140 identified last year.

While there was a rise in Bulgarian potential victims from eight to 54 last year, the number of Albanian potential victims almost halved to 59.

The 2023 report saw forced surrogacy feature in the helpline figures for the first time with three potential victims, but this dropped to one last year.

The total number of contacts to the helpline fell slightly to 11,464 from 11,700 in 2023.

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Eleanor Lyons said: “The sharp rise in female potential victims, particularly in cases of sexual exploitation and forced labour in sectors like care, is deeply alarming.

“It reflects a growing crisis that cannot be ignored if the Government are serious about tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG). The Government’s commitment to halving VAWG within a decade will only be possible if modern slavery is fully addressed within its VAWG strategy.

“The Helpline remains an irreplaceable source of independent, confidential support, but these figures are a stark call to action: we must do more to protect the most vulnerable and ensure every survivor has a path to justice and recovery.”

Government figures, published in March, showed a record high of almost 20,000 potential victims of modern slavery referred into the system last year – a rise of 13% in 12 months.

A total of 19,125 potential victims in the UK were referred to the Home Office in 2024, up from 16,990 the previous year.

Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said: “Modern slavery is a totally unconscionable crime, and I have witnessed firsthand how it dehumanises its victims. This Government’s commitment is to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, as part of our Plan for Change, and we will use every lever at our disposal to protect survivors and punish their abusers.

“I urge anyone with evidence of abuse and exploitation in the workplace to come forward and report this to the relevant authorities, so we can thoroughly investigate the vile criminals responsible, and ensure that the survivors of their abuse get the support they need.”