The Modern Slavery Agenda: Politics, Policy and Practice in the UK

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Despite the introduction of laws to try to stop it, so-called modern slavery—whether in the form of domestic servitude, sex trafficking, child labor, or other exploitative practices—is still on the rise in the United Kingdom and other industrialized nations. This hugely topical book, written by a team of activists and experts, is the first to provide a critical assessment of modern anti-slavery legislation. The Modern Slavery Agenda argues that, contrary to its stated ambitions, the UK’s Modern Slavery Act is inconsistent, inadequate and punitive, paradoxically fostering conditions that promote the very acts it aims to outlaw, and offers strategies for improvement in policy and practice. The authors not only gather evidence from across the field, but also provide strategies for improvements in policy and practice.   THE MODERN SLAVERY AGENDA Dedication Contents List of tables, figures and boxes Introduction Is modern slavery either ‘modern’ or ‘slavery’? International action against slavery ‘Modern slavery’ in the UK: developing understandings 1. Modern slavery in global context: ending the political economy of forced labour and slavery Introduction The constituent elements of slavery The political economies of slavery Slavery and the rule of international law The state we are in Transforming the global political economy Conclusion 2. The UK’s response to modern slavery: law, policy and politics Research and policy: key influences The criminalisation of human trafficking, forced labour, slavery and servitude The development of a human rights approach to modern slavery Implementation of policy on support and assistance to victims The enhancement of a regulatory response Development of the MSA Current and future concerns about the criminal justice response Conclusion 3. Defeating ‘modern slavery’, reducing exploitation? The organisational and regulatory challenge Introduction Trafficking, forced labour or business and human rights? Joined up or papering over the cracks? Addressing labour exploitation post-MSA From outputs to outcomes? Conclusions 4. Class Acts? A comparative analysis of modern slavery legislation across the UK Introduction Examining the Acts Implementation and use of the non-punishment provision Conclusion 5. Child trafficking in the UK Introduction Definitions and offences The current picture Issues with data Identification of child victims Legal guardianship and issues with support Children at risk of going missing Assessing age Conclusion 6. Human trafficking: addressing the symptom, not the cause The current policy context The ODW visa in practice Migrant domestic workers, the UK’s ODW visa, restrictions and exploitation Modern slavery responses: undermined by the hostile environment What happens to trafficked people? An ‘inexcusable’ lack of support 7. Still punishing the wrong people: the criminalisation of potential trafficked cannabis gardeners Introduction Trafficking for cannabis production in the UK Vietnamese nationals The research Convictions of cannabis gardeners not identified as trafficked The punishment of cannabis gardeners informally identified as trafficked or slaves Conclusion 8. Modern slavery and transparency in supply chains: the role of business Introduction What is ‘modern slavery’? Why is modern slavery relevant to business? Mandatory reporting trends: the global picture Voluntary reporting frameworks: the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights Drivers for transparency The risk of legal liability as a driver for good practice: recent court cases Key aspects of the MSA relevant to business The impact of the TISC provisions and the corporate response to these issues Act into action: the MSA in practice How have companies reacted otherwise to the MSA? Media and NGO scrutiny Conclusions 9. Migrant illegality, slavery and exploitative work Introduction Creating binaries out of complexity Migrants, low-wage labour and exploitation Migrant labour exploitation, ‘illegality’ and coercion Migrant illegality or labour exploitation? Troubling identification, questioning solutions 10. The UK’s approach to tackling modern slavery in a European context Introduction Law enforcement cooperation in Europe The rule of law and policy coherence Extraterritorial jurisdiction Conclusion Index