Colchester Against Modern Slavery (CAMS)
Contents
Spot the signs of modern slavery
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
Page last reviewed: 19 September 2023