Women and girls at growing risk of modern slavery, data reveals

The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline’s Annual Assessment 2024 indicates that women and girls are increasingly being targeted in cycles of abuse, forced labour, and sexual exploitation.

Women and girls at growing risk of modern slavery, data reveals

The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline’s Annual Assessment 2024 indicates that women and girls are increasingly being targeted in cycles of abuse, forced labour, and sexual exploitation.

2025 chocolate scorecard: choose ethical chocolate this Easter 

Essential modern slavery webinar: Helpline data for 2024

Join Unseen to discover the latest Helpline data and emerging trends in this free webinar.

Essential modern slavery webinar: Helpline data for 2024

Join Unseen to discover the latest Helpline data and emerging trends in this free webinar.

Unseen’s 2024 Business Impact Report: a year of collective action against modern slavery

How can worker engagement combat modern slavery in construction? 

Modern slavery in construction is growing — but worker engagement can help tackle these risks. Learn how site visits, wellbeing interviews, and worker-led accountability can build a more ethical, resilient supply chain.

How can worker engagement combat modern slavery in construction? 

Modern slavery in construction is growing — but worker engagement can help tackle these risks. Learn how site visits, wellbeing interviews, and worker-led accountability can build a more ethical, resilient supply chain.

10 years of the UK Modern Slavery Act: progress, pitfalls and the path ahead 

UK civil society calls for new law to prevent business human rights abuses and environmental harm

Unseen has joined more than 30 organisations in calling for a new Business, Human Rights, and Environment Act. This law would create clear legal obligations for UK businesses to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harm in their global operations and supply chains.

UK civil society calls for new law to prevent business human rights abuses and environmental harm

Unseen has joined more than 30 organisations in calling for a new Business, Human Rights, and Environment Act. This law would create clear legal obligations for UK businesses to prevent human rights abuses and environmental harm in their global operations and supply chains.

Modern slavery helpline secures key funding to enhance supply chain intelligence

The hidden economic costs and health impacts of modern slavery

Modern slavery’s economic costs and health impacts are often hidden, yet they place a significant burden on survivors and public services like the NHS. Urgent action is needed.

The hidden economic costs and health impacts of modern slavery

Modern slavery’s economic costs and health impacts are often hidden, yet they place a significant burden on survivors and public services like the NHS. Urgent action is needed.

The power of survivor-led research in tackling modern slavery

Justine Currell

As I came to understand more about the issue, including through a visit to an Unseen safehouse, I knew I needed to do more to stop this abuse and exploitation.

For the last five years of my Civil Service career, I was the Modern Slavery Senior Policy Advisor in the Home Office and led on development of the Modern Slavery Act, including the transparency in supply chains provision and business guidance.

I joined Unseen to lead the development of the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, and Unseen’s work with businesses. I am regularly called upon to present at national and international conferences and use my experience of working with Ministers to influence other governments internationally to take action to address modern slavery and, in particular, business supply chain issues.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, music, reading and travelling.

Andrew Wallis

What ultimately compelled me to act was a report on how people from Eastern Europe were being trafficked through Bristol airport to the USA. Kate Garbers, who went on to be an Unseen Director, and I wrote to all the city councillors, MPs and the Police Chief Constable challenging them on the issue. The challenge came back to us: this city needs safe housing for trafficked women. And so Unseen began.

But we never wanted Unseen to be just about safe housing. We wanted to end slavery once and for all, and that remains our driving focus.

I chaired the working group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery”. This is now acknowledged as the catalyst behind the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015. It was a great honour to be awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours that year. On the other hand, I’ve also been described as “the loveliest disrupter you could ever hope to meet”.

This job has taken me from building flat-pack furniture for safehouses, to working with businesses to address slavery in supply chains, to delivering training, raising awareness and advising governments around the world.

When not at work, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my dog Harley, cooking, supporting Liverpool and Yorkshire CC, music (I’m a former DJ) and endurance events such as the Three Peaks Challenge and Tribe Freedom Runs – which I vow never to do again. Until the next time.