MORE than 70 potential slavery victims were referred to police in Cheshire last year – and about a third of those were children.
Home Office data shows an increase in modern slavery cases referred to the Cheshire Constabulary, with 78 registered in 2020, 22 more than the 56 registered in 2019.
Among them were 25 children – that corresponds to around 32 percent of all referrals.
Modern slavery can include domestic slavery, forced labor, sexual or criminal exploitation.
Anti-slavery charity Unseen has warned of a possible surge in casualties following the coronavirus pandemic, adding that the UK economic downturn has created more vulnerable people at risk of exploitation.
Across the UK, 10,613 potential victims were referred to police last year – broadly in line with the 2019 record of 10,616.
Almost 3,000 more potential victims were reported between January and March this year, a slight increase over the same period in 2020.
Of these, 27 were identified by the Cheshire police.
Unseen said the closure of recognized slavery hotspots – like car washes and nail bars – during lockdowns in the UK meant potential victims were less visible during the pandemic as adult-related remittances fell across the country.
The Home Office said restrictions amid the pandemic likely caused a plateau in referral numbers.
Unseen’s Justine Currel said, “Covid-19 and the ensuing economic downturn reduced visibility of the threat in places like car washes and nail bars.
“And as expected, the proportion of calls from the public decreased during the lockdowns as fewer people were out.
“Now that we have come out of lockdown, we can see that the contacts are increasing significantly.
“It is too early to say how many of these contacts will result in the identification of victims of modern slavery.”
A Home Office spokesman said the government had stepped up enforcement efforts to crack down on those who exploit young people, highlighting 1,000 arrests in May related to “county line” activity – where gangs use vulnerable people to remove drugs from cities to transport to small towns by almost a third nationally in 2020
The spokesman added, “Through the Salvation Army-supplied Contract for the Care of Modern Slavery Victims, we are providing technical assistance to adult victims in England and Wales to help them rebuild their lives, including safe house accommodation, financial assistance and assistance in access to health care and legal support. ”
