Human trafficking and modern slavery: how nurses can support victims

Nurses are a key point of contact for vulnerable adults and children who are being exploited by criminal gangs

Essential facts

Modern slavery is an umbrella term for all forms of slavery, human trafficking and exploitation, says the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Men, women and children of any age can be affected and, while some may be trafficked from other countries, UK residents, some of the most vulnerable people in society, are also among the victims.

The hidden nature of the problem makes producing an accurate measure of prevalence difficult, says the ONS.