'The Remittance Economy'. Raymond June/flickr. (CC BY-ND 2.0)
The recent publication of a study about the modern slavery of Vietnamese nationals in the UK by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner has renewed public interest in modern Vietnamese slaves in the UK. While this topic has made headlines for years, it garnered a lot of attention earlier this year with the publication of various articles in The Guardian about cannabis ‘factories’ in the UK and the abduction and trafficking for marriage of Northern Vietnamese women to China. In the past few weeks, countless news clips have denounced the harsh conditions forced upon Vietnamese adults and minors in cannabis farms, nail bars and brothels. Their provocative titles – ‘Is your manicurist a slave?’ or ‘Teenage “slaves” trafficked to work in Capital’ – are generating increased public concern. In response, raid and rescue operations are being conducted in accordance with the 4Ps of the British government’s Modern Slavery Strategy – Pursue, Prevent, Protect, and Prepare.
