Resource

Despite going through a complex two-stage system, in 2024 only 4% of non-British nationals who were confirmed to be victims of trafficking were given permission to stay in the UK on that basis. That’s only 176 out of 4,240 people. Over 4,000 adults were refused permission to stay (known as ‘leave to remain’), despite many needing to do so for their safety and recovery and to assist with the prosecution of their traffickers. The situation is no better for children. The government's claim that people are “misusing” modern slavery and trafficking protections to remain in the UK could not be further from the truth.

The Ambassadors for Change, are survivors of torture, trafficking and persecution who have come to the UK in search of safety. Each of us carries scars — physical, emotional and psychological — from the violence we endured and from the long, punishing asylum process. Some of us are still waiting for decisions, some of us have refugee status, but we are united by survival and by the determination to speak out. This briefing sets out what needs to change to ensure the implementation of survivors' rights and participation.

Over the last weeks, we have been deeply alarmed about the far-right attacks outside asylum hotels and threats of more organised violence across the country. We strongly condemn the racist and vitriolic targeting of people seeking protection in the UK. We stand in solidarity with the men, women, children and families at the sharp end of this hostility, who deserve to live in dignity and with safety.