ATLEU presses MPs to support amendment to the Modern Slavery Bill to improve protection for those at risk of human trafficking

/

ATLEU together with Kalayaan, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Anti Trafficking Monitoring Group, Anti Slavery International, Poppy Project, Liberty and Justice for Domestic Workers has written to all MPs on the Parliamentary Committee on the Bill.

ATLEU has urged the MPs to support an amendment to the Modern Slavery Bill from David Hanson MP. The amendment would restore rights to overseas domestic workers permitting them to change their employers and apply to extend their visas. Currently overseas domestic workers have no right to change employers - rendering them acutely vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

ATLEU believe that this amendment would be a significant step in improving the position of overseas domestic workers.

You are very welcome to use the letter as a model to write to your own MP. 

Download our letter here

Supreme Court upholds child victim of trafficking's claim for damages

/

ATLEU represented the Appellant in the landmark case of Hounga v Allen [2014] UKSC 47.

This is the first case on human trafficking to be considered by the Supreme Court. In a majority judgment new rights are awarded to victims of trafficking who take their traffickers to court. 

The UK’s highest court overturned the Court of Appeal who had refused the victim - who was trafficked at age 14 - the right to recover compensation. 

Read more or download our press release. 

Low Pay Commission recommend a review of the family worker exemption

/

Following ATLEU's representations the Low Pay Commission has recommended that the Government look again at the law in relation to regulation 2(2) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999. The National Minimum Wage Low Pay Commission Report 2014 states:

'While we recognise that any effective action may require a change to primary legislation and necessitate the availability of a suitable legislative vehicle, we recommend that the Government should review the law, and take the next available opportunity to legislate and clarify the entitlement of migrant domestic workers to the National Minimum Wage. We also urge the Government to take action to increase awareness of the NMW entitlement of this group of workers; undertake appropriate enforcement; and ensure the process undertaken for the UK visa arrangements involves an effective check that the legal obligation to comply with the NMW is met by their employer'. 

Read the full report here. 

Women 'held as slaves for 30 years'

/

ATLEU commends the work of the Freedom Charity in assisting 3 women to escape 30 years of slavery. ATLEU's experience confirms charity founder Aneeta Prem's comment that: 

"Extraordinary as this particular case was, enforced domestic slavery is not unique in the UK, although it is often hard to detect, hidden as it is behind closed doors on ordinary streets in ordinary towns and cities."

Domestic workers who enter the UK since 6 April 2012 and suffer similar conditions find it exceptionally difficult to access any form of support or redress due to the changes to the overseas domestic worker visa and legal aid since 1 April 2013. 

Representing vulnerable workers such as these is a specialist area and there is currently very limited provision, especially outside of London. 

We hope that this case will force the Government to look at the needs of victims suffering in similar circumstance. In particular we call for the reinstatement of the overseas domestic worker visa which could protect so many vulnerable workers and prevent the recurrence of similar situations to that seen here. 

We also urge the Government to reconsider their proposals to further cut legal aid which will deprive so many who have been kept in slavery from seeking redress.

Read The Guardian article 'How tiny charity uncovered Britain's most extreme case of domestic slavery' by Patrick Butler and Owen Bowcott (Thursday 21 November 2013). 

ATLEU's Response to the MOJ’s Consultation ‘Transforming legal aid: delivering a more credible and efficient system’

/

On 9 April 2013 the Ministry of Justice issued a consultation paper entitled 'Transforming Legal Aid'. The paper announced a further round of cuts to legal aid, just a week after the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) came into force on 1 April 2013, which significantly reduced the scope of legal aid. 

ATLEU responded to the MoJ's consultation, which closed on 4 June 2013. Read ATLEU's response to the consultation here.

Haldane Society Lecture 14 March 2013

/

ATLEU's Jamila Duncan-Bosu gave the Haldane Society Lecture on 14 March 2013. She spoke about assisting claimants to obtain compensation for domestic servitude in the employment tribunal. 

"It was the perfect combination of creative lawyering, discussion of legal issues, practical solidarity and political campaigning. Which is exactly what we want, as Haldane, to provide for our members." Liz Davies, Chair Haldane Society.

​

ATLEU on VDAY 14 February 2013

/

ATLEU at the Hayward Gallery: 'Putting the Heart back into Art'

ATLEU on VDAY 14 February 2013

ATLEU on VDAY 14 February 2013

The event was part of the One Billion Rising Campaign which aims to end violence against women. The 'Putting the Heart back into Art' event brought together activists, community organisers, political thinkers, commentators, campaigners and professionals. Emily-Anna Gibbs attended on behalf of ATLEU to raise public awareness of the assistance that ATLEU provides to victims of trafficking to help them obtain safety, recovery and redress.

Photo: Emily-Anna Gibbs from ATLEU with Karan Singh from Kalayaan on VDAY 2013. 

​