By Ben Stevens
A charity in Leicester has been out and about today(TUE,OCT19) raising awareness of the challenges relating to modern slavery.
Hope for Justice, one of Britain’s leading charities fighting the battle against modern slavery, has a stall set up in the city centre, educating and informing people about signs of modern slavery and how everyone can help to stop it.
There was particular emphasis given on being alert to the signs of slavery in Leicester’s business sector, particularly the garment industry which has been subject to an investigation over the past 12 months.
Shaista Jakhura, a lead community engagement specialist at Hope for Justice, said: “Modern slavery is a big problem in Leicester and the rest of the UK.
“There were over 10,600 cases of modern slavery reported to us in Leicester over the past year but the actual figure is almost certainly much higher than that.
“It’s very important that people know the signs of modern slavery as spotting the signs early can make all the difference.”
Shaista is keen to educate younger people of the dangers of modern slavery in the city and will be speaking at De Montfort University tomorrow.
She said: “Many young people who are in need of money are often exploited in the workplace.
“I want to help younger people find employment that is safe and fair.”
Since being founded in the United Kingdom in 2008, Hope for Justice has expanded and operates in more than 30 locations across the world.
Despite the pandemic, the charity reached more than 190,000 people in 2020 with nearly 5,000 children and adults directly rescued from slavery and given subsequent aftercare.
For more information on Hope for Justice and the work they do visit https://hopeforjustice.org/.
