Anti-Slavery Day, 18th October, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery, and encourage government, local authorities, companies, charities and individuals to do what they can to address the problem. It was created by the Anti-Slavery Day Act, a Private Members Bill introduced Anthony Steen CBE, now Chair of the Human Trafficking Foundation.

Each year more and more charities, individuals, local authorities and police forces take action to mark Anti-Slavery Day.

The Human Trafficking Foundation hosts Anti-Slavery Day Awards to recognise journalists, filmmakers and broadcasters who have exposed issues of modern slavery, and to celebrate organisations and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the fight against modern slavery.

2023

MEDIA AWARDS SHORTLIST

Best Broadcast Piece

• Trafficked – The Trap – The Guardian

• Modern Slavery in the Care Sector – Radio 4 File on 4

• Modern Slavery and the UK – Committee Corridor

Best Investigative News Article

• Six years trapped at sea: ‘I was beaten with barbed stingray tails and scalded by boiling water’ – The Telegraph

• FT Investigations: The Fisherman – Financial Times

• ‘If they call, I have to go’: Horrific story of trafficked woman, as Sky News exposes UK’s failing system of protection – Sky

Best News Piece

• Woman’s tongue cut by ‘cuckooing’ drug dealer who took over her home – ITV

• County lines: How a child’s phones helped smash a trafficking gang – BBC

• The Brutal Reality of Human Trafficking in the UK – South West Londoner

Best Opinion Piece

• Qatar 2022’s Modern Slavery Critics Must Look Closer To Home – Forbes

• My trafficker is behind bars, but if the UK’s new migration bill passes, my story would have ended very differently – The Guardian

• Beyond Trafficking and Slavery – Open Democracy

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS SHORTLIST

We are delighted to announce the four Outstanding Contributions shortlists for Anti-Slavery Day Awards 2023.

The Statutory Services shortlist comprises of:

• Focus Homeless Community Mental Health Team

• Harjeet Chakira – West Midlands Police

• Ruaridh Wood – Metropolitan Police

• Kelly Gray – Eastern Region Special Operations Unit

Read full descriptions of the four shortlisted nominees here.

The Reducing Vulnerabilities (Advocacy) shortlist comprises of:

• The AIRE Centre

• Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT) UK

• Shalini Patel – Duncan Lewis Solicitors

• Maya Borowski – Hestia

Read full descriptions of the four shortlisted nominees here.

The Rebuilding Lives (Frontline Award) shortlist comprises of:

• Mohinder Kaur – Adavu

• Hollie Hampson – Justice and Care

• Rebecca Treadway – The Salvation Army

• Emily Chalke and Maria Rente – Ella’s

Read full descriptions of the four shortlisted nominees here.

The Empowering Survivor Voices shortlist comprises of:

• Journeys of Hope Triangles Group – Barnardo’s

• Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP)

• Migrant Help’s Lived Experience Advisory Panel

• Nancy Esiovwa – Survivor Alliance

• Olessya Glasson – Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre (MSPEC).

Read full descriptions of the four shortlisted nominees here.