The war in Ukraine has displaced over 10 million people, particularly women and children, who are now at risk of Modern Slavery and exploitation in general. Ukraine is a pre-existing trafficking hub making many vulnerable to being ‘re-trafficked’ and increasing risk in general. LSAB is aware that this issue may only increase over time as more refugees are welcomed into the UK, creating a new pool of persons at risk. The fast-tracked nature of the sponsor scheme may also lead to poor vetting, further exposing refugees to risk. It is of particular concern that the majority of said refugees are women and children.

Lambeth’s SAB has published various resources on how to recognise indicators associated with Modern Slavery, which can be found here. We recommend reviewing these before making any reports of suspected Modern Slavery.

The Human Trafficking Foundation has compiled a list of resources for those affected, some of which are available in Ukrainian, Russian or Polish among other languages.

More information on Modern Slavery in relation to the war in Ukraine can be found via Anti-Slavery International

If you are concerned you’ve come across modern slavery, it is important you report it if you feel safe to do so.
In an emergency, you should always call 999. In a non-emergency, call the police helpline on 101. For confidential advice, you can also contact the modern slavery helpline on 0800 0121 700.