West Midlands Victims’ Commissioner Nicky Brennan has released the following statement to mark Anti Slavery Day today (Tuesday, October 18).
In the UK, thousands of men, women and children are trapped in modern slavery and although it is a crime, it is present in every community. Modern slavery is a hidden crime, and it is closer than we think. It is happening in every corner of the country, and that includes here in the West Midlands.
The West Midlands Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner & West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership condemns the vile and brutal crime of modern slavery and human trafficking in which people are treated like commodities and exploited for criminal gain. The OPCC & VRP will do everything in its power to work with Police and other law enforcement agencies to help disrupt and bring to justice perpetrators of such crimes across the region.
We will adopt a victim-focused approach to modern slavery and human trafficking and endeavour to safeguard such individuals – whether they be children or adults.
We will strive to make ending slavery everyone’s concern; be an ally to survivors and members of our communities at risk of slavery; challenge and change law, policy and practice that allows modern slavery to persist.
We pledge to continue working together to ensure our West Midlands organisations tackle modern slavery.
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