BBC Radio 4’s The Archers takes on modern slavery storyline

BBC Radio 4’s The Archers is raising awareness of one of the most serious and barbaric crimes of humanity – modern slavery.

Hope for Justice has been working alongside The Archers producers to assist with the storyline.

This issue is even more important during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, when traffickers will be looking to exploit people’s vulnerabilities.

Hope for Justice’s advocacy team – trained lawyers – have given advice based on their experiences working alongside investigators, the police and other charities to support victims.

The modern slavery storyline was first referenced in last Friday’s episode when the first use of the word slave was heard.

Since then, fans have been listening on in horror as Welsh bird-watching family handyman Philip Moss is exposed as a slave master.

His labourer, Blake, was depicted switching on a grill in a bungled attempt to make himself some food because he was starving.

Slavery isn’t just happening overseas; it is happening here in the UK, ‘hidden in plain sight’.

Hope for Justice and its business membership scheme Slave-Free Alliance have encountered human trafficking within the construction industry, at car washes, in nail bars, massage parlours and hotels, to name a few.

We have seen first-hand the impact on businesses who have unwittingly benefited from modern slavery, and we are using our expertise to stamp out slavery in supply chains.