Today sees the launch of a new online resource ATHUB.org.uk, to help lawyers to get victims of trafficking the help they need. Produced by the award winning legal charity ATLEU, ATHUB aims to overcome the barriers that victims experience when trying to rebuild their lives after escaping their traffickers. This is the first online resource to bring all this information together in one place.

According to the latest figures released by the National Crime Agency, there are far more victims of trafficking in the UK than previously estimated. Over 4000 victims were identified in the UK in 2016, a 17% increase on 2015 figures. The actual number of victims could run to tens of thousands. The number of people being referred into the National Referral Mechanism as potential victims of modern slavery also continues to rise.

The continuing clamp down on legal aid funding and the impact of cuts on local authority spending means that these victims often struggle to get the information and support they need. To help address this, ATHUB provides a range of information on victims’ rights, accessing benefits and medical support, the asylum process and claiming compensation from their traffickers.

Colin Yeo, Barrister at Garden Court Chambers and founder of Free Movement says:

“Getting the right advice at the right time is crucial to making sure that victims of trafficking get the help they need. ATHUB is a wonderful resource which will be useful to any lawyer or non lawyer assisting victims of trafficking."

Victoria Marks of ATLEU says:

‘Trafficking is already one of the most challenging areas of law to work in and with the numbers of victims rapidly increasing, the access to practical and reliable information is more vital than ever. We believe that ATHUB will be a valuable tool in the fight against modern slavery and will help victims to get the access to justice that they deserve.’

ENDS

For more information, contact: marsha@atleu.org.uk