Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response
Since 1865, The Salvation Army has worked globally to bring glimpses of the Kingdom of God through community-led responses to modern slavery and human trafficking. Today, we continue this work in over 130 countries.
The Salvation Army believes in the biblical principles of the inherent and equal value of all persons and the duty to care for one’s neighbour. The exploitation of human beings commodifies and dehumanises the individuals who are trafficked, rewards the inhumanity of the traffickers and weakens the moral, social and economic fabric of society.
The Salvation Army is opposed to the abuse of power against other human beings that is inherent in modern slavery and human trafficking.
What is Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking?
Modern slavery acts as an umbrella term, covering several human rights issues, of which human trafficking is one. Essentially, modern slavery is the exploitation of people for their bodies and labour.
People trapped in modern slavery situations of exploitation often cannot escape or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception and/or abuse of power.
The Global Estimates of Modern Slavery report by the United Nations International Labor Organization, Walk Free and the International Organization for Migration estimates that 50 million people are enslaved across the world today.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking take many forms
How The Salvation Army is responding around the world
Addressing modern slavery and human trafficking requires a holistic approach that addresses the underlying social, economic and environmental factors that contribute to vulnerability and exploitation.
The Salvation Army’s Freedom Action Framework has eight global response areas, serving as our holistic approach as a global movement:
Prayer Prevention Protection Our protection responses provide a wide range of services, including safe housing, drop-in centres, education/literacy, employment/training, counselling, return and reintegration support and case management. Partnership Participation Our participation responses include our corps (churches), outposts, institutions, societies, schools, hospitals, hostels, programmes and projects. Prosecution Proof Policy
Our responses to modern slavery and human trafficking are rooted in deep spiritual foundations. Our prayer responses include:
We raise awareness and address modern slavery and human trafficking root causes in local communities as a vital way to decrease vulnerability and increase well-being. Our prevention responses include:
We walk alongside and serve survivors as they regain their physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual health.
We partner with a vast network to respond to modern slavery and human trafficking.
We invite and equip all Salvation Army people and ministry units to participate and respond to modern slavery and human trafficking.
We support survivors as they access legal assistance and support restorative justice efforts.
We ensure our response contributes to and is received from research.
We create internal policies and advocate for external policies that reduce modern slavery and human trafficking and its demand in the communities we serve in.
Stories of impact
The Uganda Territory is responding to modern slavery and human trafficking holistically by working together to maximise impact. The territory’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Task Force is made up of representatives from territorial and divisional women’s ministries, community development, youth, commands, child protection and the officer training college – embodying an integrated mission approach to leverage strengths. The modern slavery and human trafficking project under the Women’s Ministries department supports and journeys with survivors located in different countries who need to return to and reintegrate within Uganda. While the anti-trafficking project personnel organise the practical support together with partners, Women’s Ministries officers are responding with social and emotional support to ensure long-term thriving once survivors are returned to Uganda. The training on modern slavery and human trafficking in the territory is inclusive of all departments to ensure that knowledge is shared, transferred and jointly developed. Through its Lived Experience Engagement Program (LEEP), The Salvation Army in Australia is piloting and facilitating the first ever Survivor Advisory Council for the Australian Government. LEEP is centred around engaging and including survivors to offer their expertise and lived experience to strengthen the government’s national approach to modern slavery and human trafficking response and inform policy changes. The team of five survivors who make up the first Survivor Advisory Council participated in the National Roundtable on Human Trafficking and Slavery where key priorities in the sector were identified and created together. The key priorities identified were prevention, identification and support for victims and their hopes for survivor leadership in the sector. The Salvation Army continues to partner with the government to learn from this pilot to ensure survivor leadership is part of the foundation for responding to modern slavery and human trafficking. Countries across the Europe Zone have been at the forefront and actively responding to the ongoing Ukrainian refugee crisis to minimise vulnerability to prevent exploitation. A number of support strategies exist across the zone: The constant exodus of refugees in search of a better and safer life has become a significant pathway towards people’s vulnerability to modern slavery and human trafficking. The crisis in Venezuela of its people fleeing on foot throughout South and Central America to escape violence, insecurity and poor livelihoods leaves many of the Venezuelan refugees at constant physical risk and vulnerable to falling into the hands of human traffickers. In response to these migration concerns, the Latin America North Territory, made up of 10 countries, has adopted an inclusive response where it leverages the strengths of and locations where The Salvation Army is present to create a safe passage for the high-risk migration routes refugees find themselves in. The territory’s community outreach efforts focus on protecting and safeguarding Venezuelan refugees on their dangerous journey. The territory has responded by raising awareness and providing education on how to stay safe throughout the journey. The territory also networks with its institutions and corps across its countries to offer support services, such as housing, meals, medical services and pastoral care as refugees are in transit.
Responding through an integrated mission approach
First ever pilot programme promotes survivor engagement and inclusion in government
Minimising Vulnerability
Expanding Safe Passage for High Risk Migration
More information
- Read more about The Salvation Army's work in this area on our International Social Justice Commission website
- Download our 2023 International Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Annual Report (PDF 3.3 MB)