(Wellingborough) (Con):...By
contrast, when it comes to adults, the Salvation
Army has been the prime contractor for what is
apparently called the Government’s modern slavery victim care
contract for the last 11 years. When that started,
the Salvation
Army became the overarching body in charge. The
trick that the Government did—this is a great credit to them—was
not to give the money to the Salvation
Army to spend, but to ensure that it worked with
partners across the UK, including groups interested in looking
after victims of human trafficking and, quite often, faith
groups. That added value produced a really successful way of
looking after adult victims of human trafficking. They get
support with accommodation, translation services, financial
subsistence, and transport, as well as bespoke support based on
victims’ needs, which is administered by the Salvation
Army and its partners. Without doubt, we look after
adult victims better than child victims...
(Halifax) (Lab):...I want to
share the story of Sanu, who was tricked into living and working
in slave-like conditions in the UK. For seven years, he was
beaten, threatened and given no wages for the constant work he
did in his trafficker’s shop. He had had to beg for money and
food. Now he is living in a Salvation
Army safe house where the support he is receiving
is helping him to overcome his ordeal.
Sanu told the Salvation
Army
“I came to the UK to study. That was my goal…I worked at least 50
to 60 hours a week and sometimes 90 to 100. I would start at 8
o’clock and have to carry on until he said I could leave. I
wasn’t allowed to go anywhere; no mobile phone. I couldn’t go to
the GP. He said if you talk to anyone then the police will come
and get you…My trafficker knew I had nowhere to stay and no other
friends. He knew how to control me. He controlled me like in a
video game with a remote controller…Every minute every second he
took from me. Even now I can still be scared. What happened to me
is all wrong. I still have trauma and nightmares…I try to sleep
but I still see his face, it is like he’s still chasing me.”
To read the whole debate, CLICK HERE
