Metro Bank has joined forces with 31 financial institutions, law enforcement agencies and government departments to tackle sexual exploitation in support of Anti-Slavery Week 2024 (October 14th – 18th).
Anti-Slavery Day was established by the United Nations and various countries as a response to the growing recognition of modern slavery as a global problem. Victims of sexual exploitation are controlled primarily through fear, violence and debt bondage. Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar business, trading an estimated 50 million people globally.
Anti-Slavery Day on October 18th is dedicated to raising awareness about modern slavery, human trafficking, and forced labour. This day calls for action to protect the rights and dignity of individuals subjected to modern slavery.
“By sharing intelligence on financial data we can help to improve understanding of the signs of sexual exploitation and ultimately help increase detection and reporting of this crime,” explains Louis Rodgers, Financial Crime Policy & Advisory Manager, Metro Bank. “By working together, we can identify victims and offenders of this terrible crime – which has seen a substantial increase in recent years.”
Metro Bank will be hosting Human Trafficking Policy and Research Manager Dr Julia Tomas who is presenting on modern slavery and human trafficking victims to internal colleagues. Metro Bank colleagues will also be volunteering as donation collectors for The Passage - a homeless shelter which supports victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, who have been displaced by fleeing from organised crime gangs.