Support for people impacted by modern slavery

Modern slavery describes situations where offenders use coercion, threats or deception to exploit people and undermine their freedom. In Australia, modern slavery is a term used to describe different forms of serious exploitation, including trafficking in persons or human trafficking, slavery, servitude, forced labour, debt bondage, deceptive recruitment for labour or services, forced marriage and the worst forms of child labour.

Substandard working conditions or underpayment of workers are not forms of modern slavery, however, these practices are also harmful and may be present in some situations of modern slavery.

Modern slavery can be difficult to identify as it has many different forms. Common signs or indicators that someone may be experiencing modern slavery include:

• Excessive working hours with limited pay and under harsh conditions
• Living at the workplace or in substandard accommodation with limited freedom of movement
• Being unable to leave due to threats, fear or coercion to themselves or their family
• Signs of physical or psychological abuse or malnourishment
• Being isolated and having their communication and movement controlled
• Underpayment or no wages
• Being forced to work or provide services to pay off a debt
• Not having access to personal documents, such as a passport
• Being deceived and tricked into work or service where the job or the situation is not what the person agreed to