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Compensating survivors, punishing traffickers: The need for a civil remedy of trafficking and modern slavery
Access to compensation is a vital component of criminal justice and redress and recovery for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery.
ATLEU’s response to the National Audit Office consultation on legal aid
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) has had a devastating impact on the legal aid sector. It removed many social welfare matters from the scope of legal aid, thus delaying access for many other matters until crisis point.
Joint civil society statement on the passage of the Illegal Migration Act, July 2023
As a coalition of 290 organisations representing the human rights, migrants’ rights, refugee and asylum, anti-trafficking, children’s, violence against women and girls, LGBTQI+, disability rights, health, housing, racial justice, criminal justice, arts, international development, environment, democracy, pan-equality, faith, access to justice, and other sectors, we condemn the passage of the Illegal Migration Act today, and stand in solidarity with all who will be affected.
Anti-trafficking organisations unite to call on MPs to mitigate the worst effects of the Illegal Migration Bill
The ‘Illegal’ Migration Bill is a charter for exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery. It will:
Dismantle the UK’s systems of trafficking and modern slavery protection
Deny protection to victims of this crime
Drive trafficking and enable perpetrators to act with impunity.
Coalition calls for the ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ to be scrapped and urges Parliamentarians to support Amendment 5 to mitigate its worst effects
The Illegal Migration Bill poses a singular and catastrophic threat, not only to the rights of migrants, including refugees and survivors of trafficking and modern slavery, but to the rule of law, the UK's continued ability to comply with its international obligations, and its very ability to provide international protection.
Destroying lives; the UK’s rhetoric, legislation and policies demonise people seeking safety including victims of trafficking
The ‘Illegal Migration Bill’ creates the conditions for exploitation by criminalising people and denying them even the hope of safety. If the bill passes in its current form people who have been trafficked to the UK will be barred from protections due to the way they entered the UK, even if they were brought in against their will.
Unlawfulness of the Family Worker Exemption upheld
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has again confirmed that the family worker exemption is unlawful. Under the exemption live in domestic workers who are treated as a member of the family, are not entitled in law to receive the national minimum wage, or any salary at all. In practice it is relied on regularly in situations of exploitation including human trafficking.
We are tarnished: ATLEU’s evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights
‘The UK is undergoing a horrific period of rollback of rights and protections for survivors of trafficking and modern slavery, with the Nationality and Borders Act and now the Illegal Migration Bill. If the Bill passes, we will have literally ripped up our systems of identification, support, and access to justice and remedy and we are tarnished.’
On 15 March, our Policy Manager, Kate Elsayed-Ali, gave oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights, which is conducting an inquiry into the human rights of asylum seekers in the UK.
The Family Worker Exemption: Still in place and still driving exploitation
One full year after the government pledged to remove a loophole for the exploitation of mainly female workers, the Family Worker Exemption remains in place. We urge the government to act without further delay to remove this exemption.
All potential victims of modern slavery to receive the same rate of support regardless of their accommodation status
In response to a claim for judicial review on behalf of YH, the Secretary of State for Home Department has confirmed that from 1 March 2023, all victims of modern slavery who receive a positive reasonable grounds decision will receive the same rate of financial support, regardless of their accommodation status.
ATLEU joins over 100 charities calling for action on children going missing from Home Office hotels
Today, ATLEU joined over 100 charities from the anti-trafficking, refugee and children’s sectors, in writing to the Prime Minister to express our grave concern about separated children seeking asylum going missing from Home Office hotels. The children are suspected of being exploited and trafficked.
Trafficking Compensation Action Group launches
The Trafficking Compensation Action Group (TCAG) aims to bring together practitioners who conduct trafficking and modern slavery compensation claims, in order to share best practice, improve access to justice and provide each other with advice and support.
