About Hope for Justice
Q: What is Hope for Justice’s strategy to combat modern slavery?
Hope for Justice has a strategy based on ‘Preventing exploitation, Rescuing victims, Restoring lives, and Reforming society’. Find out more about What We Do here.
Hope for Justice’s work around the world is split into four core strands:
PREVENTING EXPLOITATION: Our outreach teams, Self-Help Groups and community education initiatives empower people to protect themselves and their families from predatory traffickers and their recruiters.
RESCUING VICTIMS: Investigators work closely with police and other agencies to identify victims of modern slavery, build bridges of trust with them and remove them from exploitation.
RESTORING LIVES: The charity’s multi-disciplinary advocacy team provide victim-centred support, including help to access housing, benefits, employment, mental health support and legal assistance. They support survivors through the criminal and civil justice processes to ensure they receive restitution. In Cambodia, Ethiopia and Uganda, Hope for Justice runs aftercare residential and educational facilities, plus extensive outreach and reintegration programmes.
REFORMING SOCIETY: Hope for Justice trains frontline professionals – including police / law enforcement agencies, healthcare workers, homeless shelter staff, NGOs, community groups and many others – to spot the signs of modern slavery and to respond effectively. We also seek policy change through governments and the media. Via Slave-Free Alliance, we help businesses protect their operations and supply chains, and encourage businesses to improve their practices.
Our frontline work also provides the evidence base to inform our campaigning work to ensure that law, policy and practice work to protect victims and combat the problem. We regularly work closely with legislators to make the case for positive change.
Q: What do you mean by the term ‘rescue’?
We use the word ‘rescue’ when the intervention of our specialist staff directly removes a victim of human trafficking from a situation of exploitation or profound vulnerability to exploitation.
Rescues range from month-long observation operations that develop into contact with a victims and their safe removal from their situation of exploitation to attending a homeless shelter to meet a victim referred by staff who have been trained by Hope for Justice, then arranging that individual’s entry into safe-house accommodation.
No matter how we get to the point of meeting that victim, we celebrate their rescue once it’s happened. Our expert intervention means a life changed and another step taken toward ending slavery for good. Find out more about the work of Hope for Justice on our What We Do page.
Q: Where does Hope for Justice operate?
Hope for Justice operates in the UK, USA, Cambodia, Norway, Ethiopia, Uganda, Australia and Zimbabwe (via a partner organisation) but doesn’t currently operate all programme areas in all countries.
Q: Does Hope for Justice work with the government and police?
Hope for Justice has worked closely with law enforcement on investigations and prosecutions and has been invited to play a part in victim reception during large raids. We are a vital ‘alternative pathway’ for victims too scared to engage directly with law enforcement, at least at first. Many victims come from countries with disreputable policing or have been instilled with a fear of the authorities by their trafficker. This means that even where frontline police officers are fully versed in trafficking law, there is still a need for Hope for Justice to act as a trusted intermediary. We also provide training on the indicators of trafficking, recording trafficking offences and other country-specific advice and training. Find out more about What We Do.
Q: Why does the fight against modern slavery require an NGO?
The kind of fear and manipulation experienced by many victims means they would never consider reporting their situation to police or law enforcement. This creates a desperate need for a trusted third party to identify victims, raise public awareness, provide excellent aftercare and train frontline professionals who can build bridges between the victim and the police. Hope for Justice works closely with victims to make sure they enter safe accommodation and get the support they require. After some time in a safe environment, victims are often able to overcome the fear they’ve been instilled with. At this point the victim may feel comfortable telling their story to the police but it is always the victim’s choice whether to cooperate with the police.
Q: What results has Hope for Justice’s strategy produced so far?
Hope for Justice is committed to rescuing and restoring every victim of modern day slavery and we’re building an organisation to make that possible. Hear about our recent successes on our News page or read our most recent Year in Review. We can’t always share about our successes because of ongoing police investigations and because of our commitment to protect and respect the privacy of the victims we have helped.
Q: Is Hope for Justice a Christian organisation?
Hope for Justice was founded on the principles of the Christian faith. Many, but by no means all, of our staff come from a church background. All staff are expected to work in a way that reflects core values of respect, tolerance, passion for justice and appreciation of the value of individuals. The organisation strives for high standards of professionalism, openness and integrity but the service we deliver is not evangelistic.
Q: How is Hope for Justice funded and regulated?
Hope for Justice is primarily funded by private individuals, a small number of trusts and partnerships with churches. Some revenue is also generated from our training and work with businesses via Slave-Free Alliance. Take a look at our Financials.
In the UK, Hope for Justice is proud to be registered with the Fundraising Regulator, meaning we agree to ensure all of our fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful. The standards for fundraising are set out in the Code of Fundraising Practice. We also abide by the Fundraising Promise.
In the US, Hope for Justice has earned the Excellence in Giving Transparency Certificate after an independent analysis of 175 data points across strategy, leadership, financial, and impact data. This certification gives donors the opportunity to find our organisation, recognise our commitment to transparency, and determine if we are the right fit for their giving priorities.
Q: Will the money I donate be spent in my country?
Hope for Justice had projects across four continents, and your donations are directed toward whichever of our life-changing programmes is most in need. We work hard to make sure that each programme works to the highest standards and results in the greatest number of people being rescued and restored. You can be sure that every penny you donate works hard to bring freedom, justice and restoration to victims. Find out more about the lives changed by our donors’ generosity: read survivors’ stories.
Q: What is Natalie Grant’s role in Hope for Justice?
Natalie Grant founded Abolition International, one of the three organisations that became Hope for Justice in 2014. Natalie is a co-founder of Hope for Justice and an ambassador for the abolitionist cause. As a Grammy-nominated recording artist, Natalie uses her platform to raise awareness of the plight of trafficking victims in the US and around the world and sits on the Board of Hope for Justice. Meet the rest of Our Team.
Q: Will the new expanded Hope for Justice still be a local solution to modern slavery?
We’ve always seen Hope for Justice as a community intent on ending modern slavery. Each of the founding organisations started by providing practical help to people, and together we’re keeping our local focus, we’re just creating a way for more people to join the abolitionist movement! Together we’ll be rescuing and restoring many more people. Read the stories of the individual lives we’ve changed – survivor stories.
