Small Boats and Slavery: Links

Further to Lauren’s recent post on small boats and slavery, we just wanted to add this follow-up post with some helpful links for further thought and consideration.

Firstly, the Guardian recently released a 4-part podcast series called Trafficked. It is hard-hitting podcast that tells the story of Julia – a Ukrainian woman who was trafficked into the UK and sexually exploited before she was rescued, going on to assist prosecutors to bring her traffickers to justice. The final episode in the series is particularly helpful as it explores how the proposed Illegal Migration Bill would have affected Julia. You can listen to that podcast here.

Secondly, the University of Nottingham Rights Lab in partnership with the Human Trafficking Foundation have produced a helpful paper for MP’s to consider as they debate the new bill, titled: ‘Assessing the Potential Impact of the Illegal Migration Bill on Victims of Modern Slavery’. It is a thorough and compelling piece of work that exposes the harmful impact that this legislation would have on genuine victims of modern slavery in the UK. You can read the paper here.

Finally, Lauren wrote a more lengthy article for Open Democracy in which she dives deeper into the impact that the proposed Illegal Migration Bill would have on victims of modern slavery. You can read that article here.

In conclusion let’s keep praying for our government and for those who pass, enforce and uphold laws in our country. Let’s pray for justice. For laws that are a terror to traffickers and a hedge of protection and means of mercy for the trafficked, exploited and enslaved in our land.

(Credit for the composite image used in this post: Guardian Design/Getty Images/REX/Shutterstock)