The gap between law and reality : addressing human trafficking in the British domestic work industry

Abstract

The British government has expressed its latest commitment to tackling trafficking in human beings (THB) under the Modern Slavery Act passed in March 2015. However, the evidence collected for this study on trafficking in the domestic work sector suggests that the Modern Slavery Act is likely to fall short of expectations. The structural reasons that lie behind the failure to protect domestic workers and deter abusive behaviour on the part of employers in the UK are: the strict immigration rules and political priorities of law enforcement agencies; the State’s stake in organising and regulating the labour market; and, the state of the welfare regime protecting families and offering vulnerable individuals access to the rule of law.