Modern slavery?

[Youaremysunshine6]

I’ve been reading a few articles on Modern Slavery after a conversation with a friend about the nail salon I’ve gone to for a little while. Am now feeling terrible if I have been inadvertently supporting something like that.

It’s a typical salon run by Vietnamese (I think) people and some of the ‘signs’ I have been reading (including that!) have made me really concerned.

I don’t want to cause a massive fuss for the poor people if it’s a legitimate family business or something - but has anyone ever reported anything like this before?

Main things that have rung alarm bells:

• Vietnamese
• cash only
• don’t really speak any English other than to ask what you want or to ask for payment
• not much chat between themselves
• quite cheap in comparison to other more high end salons
• a few young men work there as well as a woman and man who I think own it

Any thoughts??

I’m not sure how they get away being in plain sight though , but I’d imagine it’s not the same staff around for long which probably makes investigating it difficult.

They basically rely on people not reporting it or not knowing what or how to report. Until it started being publicised recently I’m not sure many people would have thought that there was still slavery in Britain. Or at least if they did they probably assumed it was mostly limited to sex workers.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay yes, I wouldn’t have even thought about it beforehand to be honest - I would have linked slavery with sex work and domestic slavery and that’s it.

Good on you for reporting it, Vietnamese nail bars are a major form of modern slavery and Vietnam is one of the most easiest countries to traffick people from.

Unseen.org is an organisation that works closely with police and there is a helpline number on their website. They are very good and even if they are already aware of this place, your report will really help to build up intelligence and help any investigation.

Better do it and let the professionals deal with it than not do it and regret. What if there is a problem with it?

Unseen.org is an organisation that works closely with police

Yes. They also have an app you can directly report from.

I would have linked slavery with sex work and domestic slavery and that’s it.

Car washes. Nail bars. Cannabis farms. Real farms. Factories. Restaurants. Homes. Brothels. The list goes on and on.

If you are on holiday for a couple of weeks, that isn't traffiking and slavery

No, but if you're in the UK on a tourist visa, working is strictly forbidden. Even if no cash changes hands. Working for bed and board isn't allowed.

My God, these Far Eastern nail bars are
In every town up and down the country
Haven't been in one for years but I know several where next to no English spoken, cheap prices...man sat in corner overseeing business but constantly on phone.

Is this modern slavery right under our noses?

Yes it is
The salons are not in cheap areas
They deal only in cash
No one speaks English
As a previous salon owner the business model is unsustainable 5 therapists on minimum wage 8/12 hrs per day 7 days a week the money doesn’t add upb

My brother was the lead detective in the big modern day slavery case that was in the press a couple of weeks ago (West Midlands/400 victims/working in offices, farms, factorys) and the things he saw were horrific.

He was interviewed on the BBC and said that the police can't manage this problem with investigation alone - they need members of the public to be vigilant and report their suspicions. The worst that can happen is that you are wrong and it gets forgotton.....

The same goes for having you car hand washed. If it’s inexplicably cheap, then at the very least the workers are being underpaid.

In some instances, the victims were being paid 50p a day.
Living in what were basically squats.

Modern slavery is so prominent and it’s crazy to think so. So many fields of work will have some form of modern slavery going on, not all obviously but some cash in hand places like farms, sex workers, car washes and nail salons. Like you say it’s better to report mad if you’re wrong all is fine but if not then at least it may be dealt with.

Also the other thing you can do is not use these places and go to legitimate businesses or do it yourself.

Sounds crazy but the less money they have coming in the less likely they will be able to continue doing it

But yes do report it. Modern slavery is huge and also being developed and monitored within local government contracts especially with care workers and taxi drivers.

By all means, report them, you will really improve their lives. There are plenty of well-paid jobs in Vietnam, fantastic welfare support, brilliant prospects for them and their children.

Are you seriously suggesting that we should turn a blind eye to enslaved workers because it’s for their own benefit, silvercuckoo?

There's an organisation called Hope for Justice that has a dual role of investigating reports of modern slavery and supporting the victims. They will pass details of their investigations to police if reports are found to be valid. Have a look at their website (I can't link from my phone - apologies) but they are an excellent source of advice. Given your concerns, I would certainly report.

I've reported my misgivings to Unseen. They've come back to me asking for a little more information, which I will, of course, give them.

Thank you for giving me the push to report something that has made me feel uneasy for a month or so. I guess everyone thinks it could never happen in their area, but of course it can and it does

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay
No, I wrote exactly the opposite. The right thing is to liberate them from their slavery, send them and their children to work on one of those fantastic shrimp farms in Vietnam. Several generations of their family will mention their kind saviour in their prayers.

My SIL worked force council in the Fens and dealt with emergency housing for a lot of modern slavery victims. Literally every month, mostly agricultural though.

For those who think it can’t happen in the middle of town: this is bang in the middle of Glasgow city centre

www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/13370339.police-expose-dark-side-of-glasgows-beauty-industry/

It is rife in my area, vulnerable Eastern European men kept in sheds that they pay extortionate amounts for (one I heard was £330 a month sharing with 30 people), they drive around carrying out manual labour jobs, the “owners” turn up to take the payment for the jobs.
Most of them don’t even realise the situation they are in.

I won't use the nail bars in our town because they all look dodgy like this. I don't understand how they are still operating.

The Romanian/Bulgarian beggars at traffic lights at major route traffic junctions in our neck of the woods, have some sort of gang master who drives them around. The cars are expensive and change frequently.
They (beggars) seem quite feisty when they want to be, and seem to be doing quite well at getting donations, but we've also seen them cowed, handing over takings, and being given small amounts back, and being shoved around, just away from the begging sites.
Many have things about them that suggest they have alcohol problems and not great lives, outside of exaggerated performances of disability.
Reporting it doesn't seem to be changing it.