About us
Our story
Since its establishment in 2015, the Centre has built up a strong network of partners in civil society, law enforcement, other universities, and government, and draws on the expertise of internal and external partners. Honorary Research Fellows active in the Centre have expertise in social work, policing, business, tackling organised crime, and survivor support. Internal partners at St Mary’s include academic experts in Criminology, Law, Media, Business and Education. These partnerships enable the Centre to approach the multifaceted issue of modern slavery and human trafficking from a wide-ranging perspective.
The Centre also works closely with NGOs to identify gaps in service provision for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking and to recommend changes to policy and practice. Over the years, it has also worked with government departments to identify gaps in knowledge, generating empirical evidence to make the response more targeted, and generate better results for those subject to slavery and trafficking. The Centre’s work will continue to impact on policy, practice and prevention through applied research, education, training, and awareness raising.
The Centre recognises Cardinal Vincent Nichols' initiative to combat slavery and trafficking, along with Bakhita House (a London-based safe-house for trafficked women) and the Santa Marta group which seeks to co-ordinate the efforts of law enforcement authorities, NGOs, and governments worldwide.