Labour Exploitation

Human trafficking for labour exploitation…

is a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform labour or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. Labour trafficking includes situations of debt bondage, forced labor, and involuntary child labor.

It not only happens when the gaps in the labour laws and protections are taken advantage of, but also when the person being ‘employed’ feels that they cannot leave the situation.

This feeling of being tied does not have to be as obvious as someone being locked up or curtailed through threats of harm to them or others. The bondage may instead be subtle and coercive making the victim feel like they have a choice and that they are ‘choosing’ to remain in the situation, agree to lesser terms, difficult conditions, longer working hours or unsavoury environments in order to maintain a relationship with the employer, keep their job, pay off one last debt, provide for family or get other opportunities.

But we have labour laws in Ireland?

The whole purpose of running a business is to make money, to make a profit. Some people lose sight of ethics and the lines are blurred. Employers can take advantage, abuse or disregard labour laws employing people illegally, or indeed an entire business may not be legitimate.

Why would someone stay if they know they can leave?

Traffickers use a range of means to exploit their victims and to keep them in a situation. Victims can be allowed to walk freely, conduct their everyday tasks, go shopping etc. giving the impression to their customers, and sometimes to themselves, that everything is ok. Traffickers can employ coercive and deceptive methods to keep the person in the situation such using their immigration status as a threat, threatening a family member or loved one, through seduction and romance, debt bondage, making someone dependent on drugs or alcohol, or threatening to report the victim to the authorities.

Some things to look out for:

Workers who do not speak any English, or claim to not know personal details or give incorrect information. Victims may not have access to their passport or identity documents, and sometimes you might see a group of workers of a similar nationality/age/gender who have a representative speaking for them, who may be coaching them. Sometimes you will see that cash only is accepted, or the service appears cheaper than you’d expect, and payment is made directly to a manager or senior staff member.