Arabic version: المملكة المتحدة تشهد زيادة في حالات العبودية الحديثة بسبب الضغوط الاقتصادية
The independent anti-slavery commissioner (IASC) has reported alarming levels of modern slavery in the UK, attributing the surge to rising living costs and advancements in technology. In 2025, over 23,000 potential victims were referred to the monitoring group, marking a 22% increase from the previous year and the highest number ever recorded. According to BBC News, the report highlights that people trafficking, forced labor, and sexual exploitation are becoming increasingly difficult to identify without immediate action against criminal networks.
The report reveals that more than a fifth of the potential victims in 2025 were from the UK, making them the largest group. Eritrean nationals accounted for 13%, while Vietnamese nationals represented 9%. This data comes more than 10 years after the Modern Slavery Act was enacted, which aimed to consolidate anti-exploitation laws and enhance victim protections.
Eleanor Lyons, who was appointed IASC in October 2023, emphasized the urgent need for a stronger response to this growing crisis. She warned that the most severe forms of exploitation are proliferating in the UK and evolving faster than the existing measures can address. Lyons urged the government to implement changes, including funding dedicated police units and imposing penalties on businesses violating anti-exploitation regulations.
The report also links the increase in modern slavery cases to global conflicts and displacements that make vulnerable populations easier targets for traffickers. Furthermore, it notes that artificial intelligence and digital platforms are facilitating the recruitment and control of victims on a large scale. Lyons stressed the importance of immediate action, stating, “Behind these numbers are real people being abused in ways most of us would struggle to imagine.”
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 unified various anti-exploitation offenses and established new responsibilities and authorities to protect victims and prosecute offenders. It also introduced a defense for victims of slavery and trafficking who have been compelled to break the law.
