Even though we like to say prevention is better than cure, prevention of modern slavery remains poorly understood and even more poorly implemented. Most actions focus on post-exploitation, mainly to support survivors.
New research confirmed this tendency. Commissioned by the Modern Slavery and Human Right Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC), the research looked at how teams funded by the Centre itself considered prevention. It found that almost all research in the portfolio was relevant to prevention, but most reporting was implicit. Evidence base was limited on the effectiveness of prevention before exploitations starts or early in the process, as well as preventing re-trafficking.
Evidence indicates that on the most basic level, to prevent people getting exploited, people need opportunities for good lives, from basic financial security to safe homes, basic services and access to their rights. The previous research identified five pathways through which this can be achieved, from enabling access to these opportunities, to developing literacy of the issue, building power and control of people at risk, deterrence and partnership. However, although the full range of pathways to prevention were often implied across the research, they need a clearer articulation in future studies.
This podcast is a recording of the lunchtime seminar, in which, Dr Liz Such, the author of the study, presented the findings and considered how we could potentially reframe modern slavery prevention, followed by a Q&A.
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You can read more about the report by clicking the button below.
The Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) works to transform the effectiveness of laws and policies designed to address modern slavery by funding and producing research on modern slavery with a focus on policy impact. We are part of the Humanities Division at the University of Oxford, and we’re funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
