While some people are obsessed with statues and streets named after dead people who may have had some connection with slavery centuries ago, others are thankfully more concerned about the exploitation in our midst today.
A glimpse into this modern form of slavery was to be had at Margate Magistrates Court last week in a hearing concerning the owner of a local car wash.
It had been visited by the Gangmasters And Labour Abuse Authority and Kent Police earlier in the year and now magistrates have issued an interim Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order against Genc Gjocaj, a 50-year-old from Albania now living in Battersea, south London.
The order bans Gjocaj from recruiting workers with no legal status in the UK, or employing anyone without a valid National Insurance number.
It also compels him to keep full records of all employees, pay the National Minimum Wage and provide wage slips and contracts to workers in their own language.
He must also allow officers entry during business hours to inspect conditions and speak to the workers.
Oh, and he's been told to pay business rates.
“Victims of modern slavery are often hidden in plain sight," said PC Glenn Castle of Kent Police after the hearing.
"They may not realise they are being exploited, and very often they will not know the working conditions they are entitled to or where to seek help if things are not right."
GLAA Senior Investigating Officer Jen Baines said: “There are around 5,000 hand car washes in the UK and while we understand that many operate legally, unfortunately there still remain issues with others.
“The problems at hand car washes can be wide-ranging. In addition to vulnerable workers being exploited for their labour, we often see failings around payment of the National Minimum Wage, environmental breaches, and health and safety legislation being disregarded.
“This is the first Slavery and Trafficking Risk Order we have secured in Kent and we will not hesitate to take action with our partners if we find that any of the restrictions are being breached.”
Last month the GLAA visited more than 200 car washes and reported: "Intelligence gathered by the GLAA and other agencies indicates that car wash workers can be forced to work long hours in poor conditions for little or no pay.
"In even more extreme cases, workers live in fear of those exploiting them because of threats of violence, abuse and controlling them in an endless cycle of debt."
Last Saturday was United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. In 2018, about 50,000 victims of human trafficking victims were detected and reported by 148 countries. Half of those were trafficked for sexual exploitation, with 38% exploited for forced labour.
If you believe someone is a victim of human trafficking or modern slavery, contact the Modern Slavery and Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700.
investigate@mirror.co.uk
