The two-year programme has been awarded £50,000 in grant funding from mayor Sadiq Khan, reports Noah Vickers, Local Democracy Reporter

Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, deputy mayor for communities and social justice (credit Noah Vickers/LDRS)

A new project has launched in London aimed at enabling migrants with an “insecure” immigration status to report abuse and exploitation – without fear of the Home Office.

The two-year research programme has been awarded £50,000 in grant funding from mayor Sadiq Khan and will be led by the Focus on Labour Exploitation (Flex) charity.

The ‘secure reporting’ scheme forms part of a wider £1.1m City Hall investment in projects to support migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in London.

It comes after the mayor promised in his re-election manifesto earlier this year to “continue to stand up for migrant workers’ rights and protect them from exploitation”.

Peter Wieltschnig, project coordinator at Flex, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “This pilot is a significant and courageous step forward in making sure that all Londoners are able to safely report abuse and exploitation, regardless of their immigration status.

“Across the world, there’s a growing recognition of how exploiters are using immigration policies as a tool to traffic people.”

He added: “At a time when migrant communities are still reeling from successive anti-migrant policies and legislation, the importance of this project cannot be downplayed. It is about putting forward a constructive policy programme, and moving away from an approach that risks punishing victims for coming forward.”

Research commissioned by City Hall last year found that many migrant workers in London are subjected to bullying and discrimination, as well as experiencing issues with pay – such as being paid late or not at all.

Sexual harassment – particularly towards women migrant workers in the cleaning, care, and hospitality sectors – was also found to be “a common occurrence”.

According to Flex, which hopes to receive another mayoral grant in the next financial year, the new research will seek to achieve “a better understanding of the barriers that victims face in reporting and engaging with first responders/services in London and identify what is needed to overcome these”.

The funding will allow focus groups and interviews to be conducted with community organisations providing support to migrant victims of crime across London.

By the end of the research, the charity hopes to have developed “a practical blueprint for how different bodies can make secure reporting a reality” and to work with “as many partners in London as we can” to make it their policy.

Debbie Weekes-Bernard, London’s deputy mayor for communities and social justice, said: “Migrant workers and survivors of abuse, exploitation and modern slavery are among the most vulnerable people in our city.

“Working closely with partners across the capital, Sadiq has commissioned a groundbreaking research programme to support victims to safely report crimes committed against them without fear their immigration status will be shared with enforcement authorities.

“There is strong evidence showing that migrant Londoners, including women and girls who are victims of violence, need better access to justice and safety.

“That’s why the mayor’s wide-ranging programme includes a new secure reporting pilot to help those most in need, as part of action to support abuse survivors and tackle exploitation and modern slavery.”

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