Our Research Projects and Reports
At BASNET we believe research is fundamental in tackling Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. We recognise the reduced involvement of affected communities in much of sector research - a key EDI problem. For this reason, we have partnered with others in the sector, especially the UK Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (Modern Slavery-PEC), academia and others to design and implement research projects, with the involvement of our members on our research panel and as research advisors and contributors. Our research panel is made up of 6 full members and chaired by our Research Advisor, Dr Elizabeth Such. Please see our research reports below.
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Build and maintain an active, widely recognised Black and minority ethnic research panel for researchers to refer to when developing and conducting their studies
Define a distinctive BASNET research agenda or strategy
Develop a coalition or a sub-group of researchers from different institutions that are committed to building a better, more diverse research agenda and skills base in the counter-trafficking field
Conduct a scoping exercise to identify the research priorities of third sector organisations serving largely migrant and/or Black populations
Research training and capacity building
Promote community based research
Capacity to sit on different research working groups
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Become collaborators and partners in BME focused research within the MS/HT sector
Become generators of ideas for research from a community perspective
Provide/facilitate research training for our members so that they can also initiate their own in house research for the sector
Build BASNET to become a knowledge hub for BME research within the MS/HT sector
Tackling Sexual Exploitation Modern Slavery of LGBTQI Individuals In The UK (Event Report)
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Report of an expert meeting on the experiences of BME LGBTQIA Community in sexual exploitation and modern slavery.
In November 2021, BASNET partnered with two of its full members (House of Rainbow and African Rainbow Family) to organise a short meeting to explore some issues around sexual exploitation and modern slavery of LGBTQIA individuals in UK. The context was premised on unreported cases of charities service users from foreign countries who are trafficked and exploited based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. These individuals are exploited for sex and for labour. The conversation focused on the intricacies of these sexual abuses and exploitation of some in the BME LGBTQ community in UK. According to the Devon Safeguarding Adults Partnership, Adult Sexual Exploitation (ASE) is a ‘form of sexual abuse that involves someone taking advantage of an adult, sexually, for their own benefit through threats, bribes, and violence’.
BASNET recognises the lack of research and data to back these growing concerns and the stigma and shame attached to victims who eventually come forward. In interviewing those who have experienced this form of exploitation prior to this event, it became evident how perpetrators of trafficking and modern slavery are monetising the distrust of communities and the lack of protection and support for LGBTQ individuals to exploit their vulnerabilities. In 2018, The African Rainbow Family explored another dimension of sexual exploitation of LGBTQ asylum seekers. The report of the conference shows the various gaps within the UK system and the how the UK system fails to protect LGBTQ victims of human trafficking and modern slavery.
The event therefore sought to highlight two dimensions of sexual exploitation of LGBTQI individuals from foreign countries into the UK: those trafficked into the UK for exploitation and those exploited and abused by others as refugees and asylum seekers- especially by those claiming to help
Read the full report here
Prevention of Adult Sexual and Labour Exploitation in the UK
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BASNET was involved in a land mark research project commissioned by the UK Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (MS-PEC). The project was carried out by the University of Sheffield, West Midlands Anti-Slavery Network and the UK BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET).
The research was informed by people with lived experience and it examined current initiatives to prevent labour and sexual exploitation in the UK. The research findings highlight the growing need to change our approach to preventing modern slavery, pointing to the holistic nature of prevention, treating it as on-going process of avoiding harm throughout the cycle of exploitation. Key takeaways:
A ‘whole systems’ approach to modern slavery prevention is required for effective prevention programmes.
We need to shift focus to preventing harm before it occurs (i.e. primary prevention).
Prevention programmes should develop holistic prevention strategies based on principles developed by the research, including harm avoidance first, ensuring cultural competence and including affected communities including people with lived experience in the creation of prevention interventions.
Read full report here
New: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Publicly Funded Modern Slavery Research
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This research project, led by AFRUCA/BASNET in partnership with the University of Nottingham, the University of Sheffield and St Mary’s University Bakhita Centre, Twickenham.explored equality, diversity and inclusion in publicly funded Modern Slavery research. Funded by the UK Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, the research report was released at a launch event on 17 July 2023.
Workshop: Race Equality in Modern Slavery Research
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On 8th of June 2022, BASNET, in partnership with University of Sheffield and the Bakhita Centre for Research on Slavery, Exploitation and Abuse at St Mary’s University, held a workshop on race equality in modern slavery research. The networking workshop aimed to address an urgent gap in current research on modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK: its lack of ethnic diversity. This applies across the whole research landscape including those who commission and fund research, the researcher workforce and research participants. The workshop brought together a network of researchers, experts by experience, community organisations, funders, and research users in the modern slavery diversity field. From the discussions we found ‘emergent’, ‘promising’ and ‘best’ practice’ in the field of modern slavery research that will guide the anti-slavery movement internationally. The following are some of the feedbacks from participants:
“Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of this amazing day. I have had such an informative day and feel empowered to contribute to the changes that need to be made”.
“The facilitators were excellent and enabled everyone to feel comfortable to speak their mind and provide their inputs”.
”The talks were excellent and being part of a discussion group was a great opportunity to listen and learn from people with much more expertise than me! In addition, it was a great opportunity to build relationships across different organisations”.
A practice guide is being developed as an outcome of this workshop.
Exploring The Vulnerability of BME LGBTQIA Community To Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
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Over the years there has been increasing focus on the narratives of Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people who might have experienced human trafficking on the grounds of their perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. We believe that these could also include some levels of labour and financial exploitation. There are many hidden and untold stories of LGBTQIA individual being trafficked and or victimized through modern slavery. The acute shame of being a LGBTQIA from an ethnic background makes this a victimless crime and a hidden problem as many people don’t come forward.
BASNET in partnership with House of Rainbow and African Rainbow Family sought to explore the realities of the intersecting issues identified in BASNET’s Racial Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan which was launched on 15 July 2021 and has since generated an impactful conversation around the theme to create awareness and influence change in policy and practice.
This advocacy discussion was centered on issues that plague the BME LGBTQIA community members in hope that it will stir a conversation on what is going on and create an avenue to collaborate with organisations in the modern slavery and anti-trafficking sector in finding lasting solutions. Read the full report
The BASNET Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Race Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan
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The BASNET Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Race Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan is the result of a year-long research, consultation and pain-staking effort by members of BASNET’s EDI Working Group. Our Race Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan has documented a list of modern slavery and human trafficking race equality issues which we believe need to be addressed over a period of time in order to improve policy and practice. We have professed recommendations and actions and identified progress indicators to address these issues. We plan to produce a progress report every 18 months to track changes.