Almost 1,000 reports of potential human trafficking have been made in the first five months of an app which allows hand car wash users to report concerns over workers.
The Safe Car Wash app was launched by the Church of Englan
d and the Catholic Church last year, and allows users to flag fearful workers, lack of protective clothing and workers living on site, which are among the signs people might be working in conditions of slavery.
The National Crime Agency, which is supporting the app, said hand car washes were a high-risk business for exploitation, and the report into the results of the Church’s mobile phone app gave a further insight into the problem.
Between June, when it was launched, and December 2,271 completed entries were made via the app. Organisers said in 41% of these cases – 930 entries – users were told, after responding to a number of questions, there was a likelihood of modern slavery at the
hand car wash and advised to to call the Modern Slavery Helpline.
But only 18% of those people actually went on to make the call.
Of the app users who reported concerns:
48% commented workers didn’t have access to protective clothing
80% said the car wash had a cash only policy
17% said workers looked fearful
The data collected by the app is anonymised and shared with the National Crime Agency and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, who are targeting modern slavery in the UK.
Case Study
Three months of non-stop work for £300
“If it was busy it was non-stop work. No breaks from 8 o’clock in the morning until 6:30 in the evening,” says Stefan, who came to the UK from Romania and ended up working outdoors, in all weathers, at a hand car wash in the North West of England.
Stefan is not his real name. He was rescued by anti-Slavery charity, the Medaille Trust after being exploited for months on end.
“The conditions were hard because there was no safety equipment. At the end of the day your hands were really damaged because of the chemicals and the soap.”
He says he was bullied and told he would not be paid if he did a bad job.
“I work at this car wash for three months and at this car wash I got £300.”