British Home Office: As many as 13,000 modern slaves working in country

Britain's Home Office released its first official estimates on the number of modern slaves trapped in the country, and the numbers may be as high as 13,000 people. That estimate includes "women forced into prostitution, 'imprisoned' domestic staff and workers in fields, factories, and fishing boats," BBC News reports.

The Home Office said the victims are trafficked in from more than 100 countries, but that an especially high number are brought from Albania, Nigeria, Vietnam, and Romania. A bill that would allow English and Welsh courts to protect trafficking victims is currently making its way through Parliament.

"It's a hidden crime, it's going on in streets, in towns, in villages across Britain," Modern Slavery Minister Karen Bradley said. "We need to help people find the signs of it so we can find those victims and importantly then find the perpetrators."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up