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Ahead of Anti-Slavery Day (18 October), Salvationist explains how you can help raise awareness of modern slavery

CENTURIES after slavery was officially abolished, thousands of people are still being exploited and kept in slave-like conditions across the UK. They can be forced to work in the sex trade, used as domestic servants, exploited for labour or criminal activity, or have their organs removed to be sold. This exploitation is often hidden, rarely obvious and could be happening in the community where you live.

The Salvation Army provides specialist support for all adult survivors of modern slavery in England and Wales through a government contract that was first awarded in 2011. This can include helping survivors access confidential legal advice, healthcare, counselling, educational opportunities, financial aid and support in obtaining employment and housing.

In the past decade, the Army has helped more than 15,000 adult survivors of modern slavery. Between July 2020 and June 2021 alone, more than 2,600 survivors were referred to the Army for help. One of the challenges, however, is that modern slavery is often hidden in plain sight.

Major Kathy Betteridge, director of Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery, says: ‘Together we are all fighting to end slavery, but we can only end it when everyone recognises the scale of the problem.’

To help raise awareness, the Army is inviting people to buy and wear a #WeAreNotforSale temporary tattoo between 10 October and 18 October.

The tattoo has a barcode design to symbolise how slavery treats people as objects to be bought, sold and exploited. To help to start a conversation and raise awareness, you can take a selfie while wearing the tattoo and share it with the hashtag #WeAreNotforSale on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and tag @SalvationArmyUK.

WHERE CAN I BUY A TATTOO?

Each tattoo can be bought for £1 (or you can buy a pack of 50 for £25) from sps-shop.com/asd-tattoo, with all proceeds going towards The Salvation Army’s Survivor Support Fund, which provides additional support to help survivors of slavery move on with their lives. Place your order now to be ready to wear your tattoo in time!

If you are concerned that someone may be a victim of modern slavery, call the confidential 24/7 referral line on 0800 808 3733

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Digital toolkit

A digital toolkit is available to download at salvationarmy.org.

uk/modern-slavery/anti-slavery-

day, which contains images and information you can share.

Read all about it

You can also read and share the 24 September issue of War Cry, which focuses on modern slavery, at salvationist.org.uk/warcry.

Become a volunteer

If you can, join the Army’s team of volunteers who help survivors of modern slavery by driving them to safety, helping them tell their story and mentoring them as they rebuild their lives. Find out more details at

salvationarmy.org.uk/volunteer/

anti-trafficking-and-modernslavery.

Raise funds

Join Team Sally Army to fundraise for the Army’s work and its Survivor Support Fund. For ideas or for help with starting a fundraising challenge, email challenge@ salvationarmy.org.uk.