According to the International Labour Organisation, over 40 million people worldwide are trapped in some form of ‘slavery’ which can include being forced to work and being sexually exploited. The Government has deemed it a “billion-pound industry” hence the implementation of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in the UK to combat this type of offending.
The term “trafficking” can be taken to include the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control of another person, for the purpose of exploitation. “Exploitation” includes prostitution, forced labour and slavery.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has been designed to capture a wide array of circumstances and offending. Our lawyers at Jeremy Gordon have experience in dealing with matters brought under this relatively new legislation including those trafficking and slavery allegations that have a cross-jurisdiction element to them.
Jeremy Gordon can also advise on the Modern Slavery Act 2015 under the Part 6 provision concerning transparency in supply chains which includes certain organisations being required to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement for each financial year to ensure that human trafficking or slavery is not taking place in any of its supply chain or any part of its organisation.
At present, it is only those organisations with an annual turnover of at least £36 million that will be caught by these provisions. However, the UK Government is committed to strengthening this measure which will extend the scope of the legislation.
If you have been charged with an offence under the Modern Slavery Act, or if you are a corporate requiring advice in respect of the Part 6 provisions, please contact one of our lawyers.
Contact London +44 7700 158304 or Manchester +44 7700 164107. Alternatively you can email info@jeremygordon.co.uk
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