Noticing signs of exploitation in your…

How can you see the 'unseen' in your community?

As part of our #WalkSeePray campaign, we're asking people to be intentional about paying attention and observing their their communities while they walk and pray. But what do we mean by this, and why does it matter?

When we meet new groups to train them on modern slavery signs, we often ask, “what does vulnerability look like?” or “where are you seeing vulnerability in your neighbourhood or role?” We usually follow this question with another: “How might that lead you to see someone’s story or respond to meet a need in your community? “

Noticing is often the first step on our modern slavery response journey.

That’s why we love our motto “We See You”. It’s a quote from the Bible (Genesis 16) where God sees the suffering and exploitation of Hagar, Abraham’s domestic slave, and promises her a future in her desperation. But it is also an essential part of modern slavery activism today. We must SEE the people in our communities who are currently unseen and SEE the potential risks they face. In paying attention to our neighbour, we can not only learn to love them better, but also know when something changes, goes wrong or if they are coerced into an exploitative situation and refer them for help. If we can reduce isolation and help support struggles with simple acts of kindness, we might even prevent them from ever being exposed to the threats of exploiters in the first place.

Eleanor Lyons, the Independent Antislavery Commissioner echoed this sentiment in a radio interview earlier this year when she said: “We need a community response. We know who the vulnerable people are in our local community. We see them at the corner shop, we see them at the park, and we need people to be aware [of the signs] and feel confident reporting.”

So this month, as you take part in our #WalkSeePray campaign, consider the following list of questions (below) as you walk around your community.

Have you seen...

An elderly person who might have unexpected visitors?
A young person being befriended by older adults with nowhere to go?
Someone who is unusually withdrawn or anxious or reluctant to speak for themselves?
A worker, hidden by long hours and sleeping on site?
A property with lots of comings and goings at strange hours?
Changes in habit and behaviour, like loud music playing from what was a quiet home?

If you don't see any of these indicators, that might be encouraging, but keep being attentive to what is 'normal' as it might help you spot changes or concerns in the future.

What should I do if I see any of these scenarios?

These scenarios might be the first 'red flag' to alert in your mind, but if it is exploitation there might be other signs you can identify. Go to our Spot the Signs page and see if there are other potential signs of exploitation. Pay attention to as many details as you can about the person, whereabouts, location, time of day as this can help build a picture of what is going on.

Then, if you have concerns, call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 to talk through and triage these ‘early’ signs. This is a confidential service available in multiple languages, available 24-7. You can also submit information through their website: https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/

If relevant to the individual, you might also want to speak to the safeguarding officer at church, at your school or community project associated with them, or the local authority safeguarding team, especially if they are a young person or elderly.

Go to our Report It page for more information on ways to report. You don't need proof, or to be sure about what you're seeing, but one report can help build intelligence that protects someone in harm's way.

Don’t forget to PRAY as you WALK. We believe that when we pray, our hearts are opened and God moves! He may even give you an idea for something you could do in your community that would help you take the first steps in connecting with the vulnerable or those on the edge.

Our vision for #WalkSeePray is to see the UK full of resilient communities which are connected, caring and capable, preventing exploitation before it can do harm. Prayerful attention to our communities is where this begins, so join us to #WalkSeePray this autumn and help make our neighbourhoods safe for everyone.