We were pleased with the response we received from the public passing though Salisbury’s Cheese Market to the UK wide survey carried out in early October to establish people’s knowledge of human trafficking and modern day slavery.
24% of those who took part in the survey said they didn’t know how widespread trafficking and modern day slavery was in the Salisbury area. Some 32% of those questioned said that they thought it was widespread or fairly widespread locally. Several people who took part in the survey recalled Salisbury Journal reports of police raids on the Firsdown car wash and the Chilmark bunker, where trafficking and slavery were suspected.
Most people said that they did not know how to recognise whether someone had been trafficked or was being kept against their will, with 74% of respondents saying they would not recognise these signs, which include people appearing anxious, fearful or paranoid, showing signs of physical harm or seeming to be afraid of authority.
Only 3 people who were interviewed were aware that there is a national Modern Slavery Helpline Freephone number available on 0800 0121 700, to which concerns about suspicions can be reported.
We are working with UK Modern Slavery Training Delivery Group, which is part of the Government’s strategy to combat trafficking/slavery, with the intention of finding out the extent of public knowledge of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. The results will help to inform and direct their work and the responses received from Salisbury shoppers will form part of a national report to be published in a few month’s time.