Action to combat modern slavery in Cambridgeshire

Police have visited nail bars across Cambridgeshire as part of ongoing efforts to combat modern slavery.

Officers visited 12 sites in the last two weeks, speaking to workers and business owners to identify any potential victims of slavery.

Although no criminality was uncovered, some of the businesses were spoken to about improvements that could be made to their working practices.

Whilst most nail bars are legitimate businesses, nationally there have been multiple cases of modern slavery linked to the industry making them of particular interest to police.

The action formed part of Operation Aidant, which is led by the National Crime Agency.

Signs of modern slavery relevant to nail bars include people:

• seeming overly tired, withdrawn or avoiding eye contact
• looking unkempt or showing signs of physical abuse
• not being able to come and go as they wish
• being unpaid or paid very little
• working excessively long or unusual hours
• businesses only accepting cash

The Cambridgeshire Victim and Witness Hub offers support to victims of modern slavery. Two specialist Victim and Witness Care Coordinators act as advocates for those affected by slavery, providing practical and emotional support to help them to cope and recover from their experiences.

The specialist coordinators work with the Constabulary and other agencies to help identify victims of modern slavery. The coordinators are responsible for supporting victims of crime regardless of whether the crime has been reported or not. The role also involves facilitating liaison between other agencies (in particular the National Referral Mechanism) and service providers where necessary. They can be contacted via the Victim and Witness Hub freephone number of 0800 781 6818.

Detective Superintendent Ian Middleton said: “The vast majority of nail bars are run as reputable businesses, but sadly some exploit workers to maximise profits.

“Victims of modern slavery and human trafficking are often trapped in desperate situations where they feel as though there is no way out.

“Regularly those trapped in slavery don’t realise they are victims, or they are so terrified of their captors that they don’t see a way out. That’s where we need to public’s help. The signs of modern slavery are not always obvious, but we need people to be aware of them and report any concerns, however small.

“If something doesn’t seem quite right then please let us know. We’d much rather investigate and find everything is legitimate than have someone trapped in an awful situation.”

For more on the signs of modern slavery or to make a report visit the dedicated area of our website.

More information on the support available for victims can be found on the dedicated website.