Today I spent time viewing the excellent Modern Day Slavery Exhibition currently on display in the House of Commons.
The exhibition, put together by students from the Central St Martin's College of Art, draws on the stories of survivors of modern day slavery, as told to the Human Trafficking Foundation.
The survivors joined the artists at the opening of the exhibition. Among them were Cristina, a Romanian girl sold into prostitution in Birmingham by her mother when she was 16, and a man from Hungary promised employment in the UK only to be forced to work without pay, open fraudulent credit card accounts and claim benefits for non-existent children.
No one knows the real numbers of people involved in modern day slavery, but the Serious Organized Crime Agency knows that at least 2000 victims are identified every year. However, they believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that for every victim found, another ten remain hidden.
Of the victims that have come to light, 49.5% are known to have come from the South East.
As a result of what I've seen today and encountered in my work as an MP, I want to ensure that everyone in Lewisham Deptford is more alert to the signs of modern day slavery. I hope that everyone from students, public service workers and the police to those in private business will join me in this task.
In Parliament, I want to see the Government put modern day slavery at the top of the political agenda.
The exhibition, put together by students from the Central St Martin's College of Art, draws on the stories of survivors of modern day slavery, as told to the Human Trafficking Foundation.
The survivors joined the artists at the opening of the exhibition. Among them were Cristina, a Romanian girl sold into prostitution in Birmingham by her mother when she was 16, and a man from Hungary promised employment in the UK only to be forced to work without pay, open fraudulent credit card accounts and claim benefits for non-existent children.
No one knows the real numbers of people involved in modern day slavery, but the Serious Organized Crime Agency knows that at least 2000 victims are identified every year. However, they believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg and that for every victim found, another ten remain hidden.
Of the victims that have come to light, 49.5% are known to have come from the South East.
As a result of what I've seen today and encountered in my work as an MP, I want to ensure that everyone in Lewisham Deptford is more alert to the signs of modern day slavery. I hope that everyone from students, public service workers and the police to those in private business will join me in this task.
In Parliament, I want to see the Government put modern day slavery at the top of the political agenda.
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