Offers of cheap labour paid in cash and houses where the curtains are drawn all day long could be signs of slavery, Premier Christian Media has warned.
As part of its new 'Not for Sale' anti-slavery campaign, Premier is urging members of the public to be vigilant about the exploitation that could be going on in their own neighbourhoods.
The campaign was launched this week with the bold aim of ending modern-day slavery in the UK. Signatures are being gathered for a campaign petition supporting the Modern Day Slavery Bill, which will be presented to Parliament in May.
Among the tell-tale signs Premier warns of are teenage girls living with older males who drive them everywhere and something as seemingly harmless as piles of take-away packaging.
"It's an uncomfortable fact that modern-day slavery is alive and flourishing here with some estimates suggesting that around 10,000 slaves live and work in the UK," said Premier chief executive Peter Kerridge.
"But most of us probably wouldn't recognise some of the more obvious signs that it could be going on in our neighbourhood. We hope the list may alert people to some of the possible indicators."
He added: "We can stop this appalling trade if we act together and our prayer is that both individuals and Church groups will take this important issue to heart and support the Premier initiative."
Premier's 10 tell-tale signs of slavery are:
1. Bargain-priced offers of cheap labour – for cash.
2. Stressed, unsmiling faces at windows.
3. Houses and flats with closed curtains during the day.
4. Children collected from school by different people who are clearly not their parents or grandparents.
5. Streams of frequent visitors at residential premises at unusual times.
6. High street premises, like restaurants, which stay 'in business' despite an obvious lack of trade.
7. Teenage girls living with older males who drive them about.
8. Cars and mini buses ferrying foreign nationals at unusual times.
9. Places where low-priced 'special services' are offered – where workers appear to be under-age and unable to speak English.
10. Frequent home-delivery meals resulting in piles of packaging outside the premises.
