People often ask me about the scale of modern slavery. Honestly? I’m more about stories than statistics. But every time I’m asked, I go looking again—and I’m always left stunned.
I know the numbers are huge. I know the scale is growing. But it still hits hard when I see how fast this crime is expanding, and how slowly those in power are moving to tackle it.
Here are three recent facts that stopped me in my tracks:
1. 50 million people trapped in modern slavery
In 2021, an estimated 50 million people were living in modern slavery across the globe—including victims of forced labour, human trafficking, and forced marriage. That’s 10 million more than in 2016.
Source: ILO, Walk Free & IOM Global Estimates, 2022
This isn’t something happening far away. Many of those trapped are working in industries that feed into UK supply chains—or are right here on our streets, behind closed doors.
2. In Northern Ireland, half of convicted traffickers avoid jail
Despite the introduction of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, a News Letter investigation in 2021 revealed that up to half of people convicted of modern slavery offences in NI courts received non-custodial sentences.
Source: Belfast News Letter, 2021
That’s not justice—it’s a loophole that sends the wrong message to traffickers and survivors alike.
3. Sentences fall short of legal minimums
Under the law, anyone convicted of a human trafficking offence is supposed to receive a minimum two-year prison sentence. Yet in practice, the average sentence handed down in Northern Ireland is just 14.6 months—nearly half of what it should be.
Source: Belfast News Letter, 2021
If we're serious about tackling this issue, sentencing has to reflect the severity of the crime.
It’s not just stats. It’s lives.
Every number is a name. Every statistic represents a person with hopes, fears, and a future stolen from them.
Yes, the numbers help us grasp the scale—but it’s the stories that drive real change. If we want to end modern slavery in the UK and Northern Ireland, we need both: the data to hold power to account, and the stories that remind us why it matters.
This is why Refuge Chocolate exists.
At Refuge Chocolate, we believe that food can do good. Every bar, every cup, every gift set you buy helps support Flourish NI—a Northern Ireland charity that supports survivors of human trafficking and exploitation on their journey to recovery.
This isn’t just chocolate. It’s a choice to stand with survivors. It’s a way to turn everyday purchases into purposeful change.
You can shop online, enjoy delicious products, and know you're making a real impact.
