Preventing labour exploitation: evidence summary

Key findings

• Overall, this review suggests that there is a lack of empirical evidence on ‘what works’ to prevent labour exploitation. However, recent literature highlights the importance of a whole system, public health response to preventing labour exploitation.
• The literature suggests that to date prevention efforts have largely been limited to tertiary prevention, with an emphasis on criminal justice interventions. This, it is argued, does not address the underlying drivers of exploitation or prevent re-exploitation effectively.
• While awareness-raising campaigns aimed at educating the public and employees about recognising signs of exploitation may have some benefits, their overall impact on prevention is unproven.
• The evidence suggests that a significant barrier to preventing labour exploitation is the shortage of resources within inspection bodies. This, it is argued, limits proactive inspections and creates an overreliance on reactive measures, as well as placing the onus on individual ‘employees’ to report exploitation.
• An emerging theory in the literature is the concept of labour exploitation being understood as part of a ‘continuum of exploitation’. The continuum encompasses a wide spectrum of exploitative practices including workplace violations (e.g. unpaid wages, discrimination, and excessive working hours) as well as human trafficking and labour exploitation.
• Supporters of the continuum theory argue that ‘minor’ breaches of employment rights and labour violations can increase the risk of more severe exploitation.
• However, there is currently a lack of empirical evidence to support the continuum theory. It is therefore not known whether targeting exploitative conditions at the lower end of the spectrum prevents more extreme exploitation and trafficking at the higher end. More research is needed to test this link.
• Understanding and identifying the risk factors associated with labour exploitation is crucial to prevention. Evidence suggests that individuals working in industries with high rates of temporary or insecure employment, those with uncertain immigration status, and members of marginalised groups are at heightened risk of exploitation.
• Although men are reported to be more likely to experience labour exploitation than women, there is limited research and understanding of men’s experiences.