Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG)

Integrating Survivors of Modern Slavery into the UK's 2025-2035 VAWG Strategy

Modern slavery and human trafficking is one of the most severe forms of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner is working to ensure that the Government’s efforts to tackle VAWG address modern slavery of women and girls.

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The Scale of the Crisis

Recent figures indicate that nearly 5,000 women and girls were identified as potential victims of modern slavery in the UK last year, with referral numbers for females reaching the highest annual number since the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) began.

These figures are deeply concerning.

If the UK Government is to successfully deliver on its commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade, it must ensure modern slavery is a core dimension of VAWG policy, recognising it as a form of gender-based violence. It must also embed the rights and needs of modern slavery survivors, including their voices within the VAWG policy framework.

Five Actions We Can Take Together

1. Survivor Voices at the Heart of Policy

Survivors know what works—and what doesn’t. Their lived experience must shape the systems designed to protect them.

Let’s:

Establish a Survivor Advisory Council with paid, supported participation.
Embed survivor leadership in all levels of policy and service design.
Fund trauma-informed, participatory approaches to healing and recovery.

2. Modern Slavery as Core to VAWG

We must stop treating modern slavery as a side issue. It is central to the fight against gender-based violence.

Let’s:

Include modern slavery in all VAWG data, targets, and delivery plans.
Recognise sexual exploitation and domestic servitude as key forms of VAWG.

3. Tackle Online Exploitation Head-On

Traffickers are using digital platforms to exploit women and girls. We must close the gaps that allow this harm to thrive.

Let’s:

Enforce the Online Safety Act with strong oversight from Ofcom.
Introduce new laws to regulate adult services websites and protect users.
Require platforms to verify age and consent, and report suspected abuse.

4. Equal Access to Safety and Support

Every survivor deserves protection—no matter their background or immigration status.

Let’s:

Make modern slavery survivors a named priority in the VAWG Strategy.
Guarantee access to safe housing, legal aid, mental health care, and advocacy.
Ensure local authorities deliver inclusive, survivor-centred services.

5. Fund What Matters

Without funding, promises fall flat. Survivors need stable, specialist services they can rely on.

Let’s:

Create dedicated, multi-year funding streams for trafficking and exploitation services.
Prioritise underfunded areas like sexual exploitation.
Build a funding model that reflects the true scale of the challenge.

Partnering with IASC on VAWG

IASC will be holding high-level meetings with Ministers, hosting parliamentary roundtables, conducting research interviews with academia and working in partnership with civil society.

To be part of this work and informed of any upcoming events and activity please contact:

IASC@iasc.independent.gov.uk