Colchester Against Modern Slavery (CAMS)

The signs of modern slavery may include one or more of the indicators below.

Appearance

• Fear or anxiety
• Untreated injuries and signs of physical or psychological abuse
• Evidence of sleep disturbance
• Limited access to bathroom of hygiene facilitates
• Malnourished
• Wearing same clothes everyday
• No or little safety equipment worn, even if work requires it

Behaviour

• Signs of psychological trauma
• Reluctant to seek help
• Distrustful of authorities and fear of police
• Afraid of being handed to authorities or deportation
• Acts as if instructed by another
• Words seem scripted and rehearsed
• Doesn’t know home or work address
• Lack of access to medical care
• Limited social contact/isolation
• Limited contact with family
• Substance misuse

Other indicators

• Found in or connected to a type of location likely to be used for exploitation
• Passport or documents held by someone else
• They are in debt to their employer
• They are paid little or nothing for their work
• Money is deducted from salary for food or accommodation
• Threats against the individual or their family members
• Being placed in a dependency situation
• Offering a service that seems especially cheap

Travel

• Regularly dropped off/picked up, often in crowded minibus
• Rarely allowed to travel alone
• Restriction and control of movement and confinement to the workplace or to a limited area