Homegrown slavery: ending state-sponsored trafficking. An ‘ethiquitable’ engagement approach.

Author: Aké Achi (Migrants At Work)

Project summary

This study explains the phenomenon of ‘homegrown slavery’ and how existing frameworks and responses are insufficient to address it. It defines ‘homegrown slavery’ as a legal system sanctioned by the UK government perpetuating a form of state-sponsored trafficking, not in the sense of state authorities forcing citizens to work, but in its legal frameworks facilitating bringing people into the condition of slavery or forced labour. The report focuses on the practice of granting by the UK Home Office visa sponsorship licences to respectable UK employers who recruit and transport overseas workers into the UK labour market, where many find themselves vulnerable to extreme exploitation, rights violations, and lack of autonomy. This form of slavery shares striking similarities with historic forms of slavery.

The study redefines Trafficking in Persons as ‘Trafficking in Person in Work (TIPIW)’, re-imagining the three constituent elements of the international definition of ‘Trafficking in Person’ into four, namely the ‘process,’ the ‘servile status,’ the ‘exploitation’, and the ‘condition.’

The research delves into the perspectives and insights of people and organisations led by lived experience (SOLEX – Self-Organised Lived Experience), highlighting the gaps between implementation of legal provisions and real-world experiences of migrant workers in the UK.

The results capture the nuanced narratives and perspectives of individuals with lived experiences and show how their insights help re-imagine the legal framework, what is effective, and where the obstacles are to a more sustainable approach. The research finds that SOLEX organisations and advocates face exclusion and exploitation within the anti-trafficking sector. Recommendations are addressed to diverse stakeholders, advocating survivor inclusion, regulatory reforms, and human rights principles to transform anti-trafficking efforts. By leveraging survivor expertise, the report emphasises the potential to revolutionise how homegrown slavery is combatted to drive lasting change. The methodology was multifaceted, including an in-depth desk review of the existing legal instruments, semi-structured interviews with six professionals and focus groups, and analysis of case records.