The CyberTipline is the main line of defense for children who are exploited on the internet. It leads to the rescue of children and the arrest of abusers. Yet after 26 years many believe the entire system is not living up to its potential. A new Stanford Internet Observatory report examines issues in the reporting system and what the technology industry, the nonprofit that runs the tipline, and the U.S. Congress must do to fix it.

If U.S. platforms discover child sexual abuse material, federal law requires they report it to the CyberTipline, which is run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit. NCMEC then forwards the reports to law enforcement.

Palo Alto, CA: Stanford  Internet Observatory Cyber Policy Center. 2024, 84pg

By Lara Farrell

This briefing on the experiences and drivers of exploitation for young migrant workers analyses age as a risk factor for labour exploitation, considering how it intersects with other vulnerabilities. It is based on data collected through participatory research with workers in cleaning, hospitality, and app-based deliveries, alongside existing literature, as part of a three-year project aimed at addressing the knowledge gap concerning experiences and drivers of labour abuse and exploitation in these under-researched, low-paid sectors of the economy. The focus of the briefing is on workers aged 16-24, as young people are most likely to be working in sectors with the highest levels of precarious employment, temporary jobs, and casual contracts, yet there is a lack of research and understanding of their experiences of work.

This briefing on the experiences and drivers of exploitation for young migrant workers analyses age as a risk factor for labour exploitation, considering how it intersects with other vulnerabilities. It is based on data collected through participatory research with workers in cleaning, hospitality, and app-based deliveries, alongside existing literature, as part of a three-year project aimed at addressing the knowledge gap concerning experiences and drivers of labour abuse and exploitation in these under-researched, low-paid sectors of the economy. The focus of the briefing is on workers aged 16-24, as young people are most likely to be working in sectors with the highest levels of precarious employment, temporary jobs, and casual contracts, yet there is a lack of research and understanding of their experiences of work.

London,  Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX). 2021, 18pg

By  Hekate Papadaki

Victims of modern slavery who are forced into criminality are frequently misunderstood and treated as criminals. In the UK it is estimated that as many as 100,000 victims are being exploited for modern slavery.1 Our report reveals a worrying picture of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable adults and even children, with criminals developing sophisticated strategies to trap victims into a cycle of exploitation. The lack of understanding amongst police and legal professionals means many victims are failing to get the support they need and this type of modern slavery is overlooked and under-reported. While this report was written prior to the onset of COVID-19, its findings are timely and important as we know that people who are vulnerable and in difficult financial predicaments are preyed on by traffickers. We know that traffickers target homeless people, including British nationals. An economic downturn will heighten the risk they face. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we support victims of modern slavery and that the police and legal professionals know how to spot the signs of abuse. And while it may have been hidden during lockdown, this type of modern slavery is on the rise. Criminal exploitation, where people are forced to undertake criminal activities such as financial fraud, sham marriages or working in the drugs trade, was only officially recognised in the UK in 2017. Yet in recent years there has been more than a 4-fold increase in cases of criminal exploitation uncovered during police operations, and it now makes up a quarter of all operations.2 At Hestia, we believe the numbers of victims are much higher than even current data shows and that cases are systematically misrecorded. So, why has this area of exploitation been hidden for so long and what are the challenges in addressing it? By reviewing the experiences of over 60 victims and interviewing 40 professionals in this field including police, solicitors and victim’s advocates some clear themes and challenges emerge.

London: Hestia. 2020, 24pg

By Inga Thiemann

This research report looks into the conditions attached to visa routes for both the care and agricultural sectors, known as ‘tied’ and short-term visas respectively, and the increased vulnerability to exploitation associated with these visas.

The findings show significant issues of debt and deductions of wages across both sectors and barriers to reporting concerns.

London: Focus on Labour Exploitation. 2024, 68pg

By Polaris

We have long known human trafficking to be a pervasive and versatile crime, as traffickers and exploiters adjust to changing environments. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the profound adaptability of human trafficking. A global pandemic did not stop or impede trafficking from happening and, with few exceptions, did not seem to change how it happens or to whom it happens. In this report, we examine data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline from January 2020 through August 2022 and explore a snapshot of the top findings of human trafficking during the calamitous pandemic years. We provide top trends and answers to questions we typically report on as a part of our data analysis, and introduce how select trends that began early in the pandemic changed or continued as the crisis evolved. 

Washington, DC: Polaris. 2024, 10pg