Blog from our colleagues at the Wilberforce Institute, University of Hull, Dr Craig Barlow, Dr Bethany Darby, and Dr Alicia Heys, about their project 'Rethinking Legal Enforcement of Modern Slavery: A New Research Agenda.'
Introduction: Why Legal Enforcement Matters
Legal enforcement of modern slavery remains one of the most under-examined areas of the UK’s response to trafficking and exploitation. While laws exist to prosecute perpetrators and protect survivors, conviction rates remain low, victim attrition is high, and alternative routes to justice are poorly understood. As part of its work for the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre, The Wilberforce Institute at the University of Hull is undertaking a new research project to investigate how legal enforcement can better deliver justice for survivors and accountability for offenders.
What the Project Aims to Do
This year-long project led by Dr Alicia Heys examines the practical use and effectiveness of the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 in real-world criminal justice contexts. It will explore three interconnected strands:
1. Victim Engagement – Dr Bethany Darby is working with people who have lived experience of modern slavery in the UK to understand experiences with the criminal justice process, and what a successful criminal justice outcome looks like.
2. Civil and Ancillary Orders – Dr Alicia Heys is investigating the use and impact of the ancillary and civil orders under the Modern Slavery Act, including Slavery and Trafficking Prevention and Risk Orders as alternative or complementary mechanisms to prosecution.
3. The Statutory Defence (Section 45) – Dr Craig Barlow is analysing how this legal safeguard, which protects victims forced to commit crimes, is understood and applied by professionals.
The aim is to generate actionable policy recommendations grounded in lived experience and professional insights.
Why This Research is Timely
This project coincides with major shifts in UK policy. The new labour government has pledged to address child criminal exploitation more robustly. Additionally, the development of the new Support for Victims of Modern Slavery contract provides a policy window for improving legal remedies and victim support mechanisms. The findings of this project could directly inform policy design, legal reform, and professional training, ensuring the law better reflects the realities of modern slavery and exploitation.
Progress
The project has received ethical approval and the team are currently engaged in a comprehensive literature review to identify evidence gaps. Next steps proceed with interviews and focus groups involving people with lived experience, criminal justice professionals, and NGOs. The research design is grounded in trauma-informed principles and inclusive practices, particularly to support neurodivergent participants or those with additional vulnerabilities. To this end, the team has worked to ensure the maximum accessibility for the participants who will be contributing their time and valuable insights.
The Bigger Picture: From Research to Impact
This research is not just academic, it is designed to drive impact. Outputs will include:
- Detailed research reports
- Policy briefings for government and agencies
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Public blogs summarising key findings
Collaboration is central to the project’s ethos. The researchers will be working closely in the coming months with enforcement agencies, legal professionals, support organisations, and people with lived experience of going through a complicated and often lengthy legal process and system of justice. Dr Bethany Darby said “Listening to people who rely on our legal processes and those who work within our justice systems is vital if we are to ensure the findings of the research are relevant, grounded, and practically useful.”
Conclusion: Towards Justice That Works
Despite the UK’s global leadership in anti-slavery legislation, survivors often struggle to access justice, and perpetrators frequently go unpunished. By examining the law in action, and listening to those it is meant to protect, this project aims to reshape the way we think about enforcement, victimhood, and accountability. At its heart is a simple but powerful question: How can we make the justice system work better for those who have experienced modern slavery?
To follow the project’s progress and access forthcoming reports and blogs, visit the Wilberforce Institute or the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre.
