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policy and research

influencing policy, legislation and society ​

Effective policy plays a vital role in tackling modern slavery. By leveraging our modern slavery research findings and extensive experience, we work to influence policy, laws, and broader societal changes.

latest modern slavery research

Discover our latest modern slavery research projects, developed in partnership with academic institutions, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. 

Strengthening the UK’s Forced Labour and Human Rights Legislative Framework

Unseen in partnership with the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Omnia Strategy LLP, and Forward Global is calling on the government to introduce legislation that would mandate human rights due diligence and ban forced-labour goods from entering the UK market.

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Restoring belief, reducing criminality

Assessing the impact of modern slavery provisions within the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024.

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the economic cost of modern slavery: policing

Modern slavery costs the UK up to £60bn a year. New Unseen research shows rising policing costs, minimal asset recovery, and urgent need for change.

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Service not servitude: modern slavery in the hospitality sector

Exposing modern slavery in the hospitality sector. Key findings showcase a growing problem linked to skilled worker visas.

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Social media-facilitated trafficking of children and young people

Key findings from exploratory research aimed at better understanding the use of social media in exploiting children and young people.

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Climate change and modern slavery in public procurement

Assessing how the public sector can address vulnerabilities to tackle modern slavery & climate risks in their procurement.

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survivor involvement

Central to our work is our collaboration with a team of individuals with lived experience of modern slavery. Their invaluable insights ensure that the perspectives and needs of survivors are at the forefront of everything we do.

statistics and resources

Explore statistics from the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, latest news articles, Unseen publications and more.

resources

contact us

If you are interested in partnering with Unseen on a research project, please email us. 

If you are a researcher seeking respondents, please download and complete the form below and attach it to your email.

download request form

Please note: we receive a large number of enquiries, so we are unable to accommodate all requests.

research partners

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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.