Identifying child criminal exploitation in Northern Ireland
This podcast is a recording of a Modern Slavery PEC lunchtime seminar presenting the findings from a research project conducted by Ulster University and the International Organization for Migration UK (IOM UK), and co-funded by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) at the University of Oxford, which found that children exploited in criminality in Northern Ireland have not been recognised as victims of modern slavery, despite indications that they may meet the criteria.
Since 2015, only 45 people have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in Northern Ireland as potential child victims of modern slavery that occurred in the UK, with only three referrals in 2023. Until this year, there has also never been a UK or Irish boy under 18 referred to the NRM for criminal exploitation at all in Northern Ireland, compared with nearly 12 thousand children identified for criminal exploitation across the rest of the UK.
In this lunchtime seminar, two researchers from this project, Dr Gillian Kane from Ulster University and Andrew Chisholm from IOM UK, present the findings from their research and discuss the way forward for identification of children exploited in criminal activities in Northern Ireland.
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Lunchtime seminar: Prosecutions under the Modern Slavery Act
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 was introduced to consolidate offences, improve victim protection, and enhance the UK’s ability to prosecute those responsible for human trafficking and modern slavery offences. But despite increased public and professional awareness and a growing number of National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals, prosecution and conviction rates under this legislation remain low. What are the reasons for it and what barriers do survivors face to achieve justice?
Online event looking at barriers to prosecutions and convictions under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 from 14 May 2025, with Dr Alicia Heys, a Senior Lecturer in Modern Slavery at the Wilberforce Institute at the University of Hull, Co-Investigator of the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (at the University of Oxford) on behalf of Hull University. The event is based on research published on 9 May 2025, which you can read on the Modern Slavery PEC website.
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Lunchtime seminar: Forced labour import bans
Recording of the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) online event looking at evidence and best practice around forced labour import bans. Presenting: Dr Sofia Gonzalez de Aguinaga from the Bingham centre for the Rule of Law at BIICL, chaired by Owain Johnstone from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights PEC at the University of Oxford.
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Protecting children with special needs from exploitation
Recording of the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) online event looking at how we can better protect children with special needs and disabilities from exploitation. Presented by Prof Anita Franklin, Manchester Metropolitan University and hosted by Jakub Sobik from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights PEC at the University of Oxford.
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Ethics in modern slavery research
Recording of the lunchtime seminar: “Ethics in modern slavery research - challenges and the way forward,” organised by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC).
Dr Wendy Asquith from the University of Liverpool, presents the findings of her project which examined ethical challenges in modern slavery and human trafficking research and explored how inclusive, trauma-informed, and ethically robust practices can enhance both research quality and outcomes for participants.
The podcast from the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre is where we discuss evidence and research to support good law and policy to protect people from modern slavery. We talk to researchers about evidence they uncover in their research. We want to find out what practical impact on policies, laws and practice our research can have, and in turn what impact it can have on real people’s lives.
New Zealand