Life is so fast paced. We rush around all day and never stop. Just one thing after another. In these fast-paced lives we lead, it is hard to stop for a moment and think. If we stopped scrolling through a multitude of hashtags, perfect pictures and birthday messages we might see more than what is on the surface. More than we want to see.  If we stopped for just one moment and really looked, we might see someone vulnerable; someone struggling; someone in need. This is the case for some people in the UK right now as you are reading this. Human trafficking is something heard on the news and seen in documentaries but in the safety and comfort of our lives it is hard to imagine it occurring. But it does and in places you might frequent often. Like a nail salon. 

Over the last few years nail salons, specifically budget nail bars have become more and more popular. This is because the lower prices make it accessible to everyone and the way we live our lives today also increases the popularity of these cheap bars. The main reason for their appeal is price; however, there are other factors, for example, you don’t normally have to book an appointment. The thought of being able to simply walk into the nail bar and be served immediately brings in customers due to the expectation for instant gratification that society today is so used to. The process is a quick one meaning that, depending on what you are getting done, you could be out of the nail bar in less than 45 minutes. The popularity of these nail bars makes it easy for the owners to make a lot of money especially if they pay their workers next to nothing. 

 You may ask why people would be willing to work in nail bars on so little pay. Currently, the UK is seeing an increase in human trafficking. Since 2015, there has been a 17% increase. People, in the case of nail bars most likely young women, are lured to the UK with promises of better job opportunities and a better quality of life. As a result, the families of these girls will pay the trafficker more than they can afford to get their daughter an easier life. This is one of the reasons that the trafficked girls never go the police. They feel they can’t because they have become indebted to their captor, which forces them to work extremely long hours with little or no breaks and for not much money just to pay off the debt that they owe. Furthermore, they would almost always have entered the country illegally hence the amount of money required by the trafficker due to the risks. This makes it even harder for these mistreated girls to go to the police; they are afraid that the police will punish them for being in the UK illegally.  

These types of human trafficking schemes are so difficult to spot and put a stop to because they are essentially hiding in plain sight. No one would go into a nail bar and instantly begin to think that the person who greeted them at the front desk could be holding the employees against their will and with very poor conditions and little pay. Added to the fact that people are constantly looking to the next thing and never stopping to look at the present, it is easy to see how the traffickers can get away with it. This is modern day slavery, and we need to learn how to stop it. 

The abuse that these people endure is unimaginable and it starts even before they reach their destination. One of the best ways to smuggle people into the UK is in the back of a lorry and the conditions are less than favorable to say the least. In fact, on the 23^rd October 2019, a lorry was discovered in Essex with 39 bodies of Vietnamese people who were being smuggled over the border. They were in a refrigerated storage container on a lorry and they all died from suffocation due to lack of oxygen and overheating. In this lorry, there were 31 men and 8 women. Of these 8 women, one was a teenage girl. She was 15.  The conditions on the lorry were reported by chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, Richard Burnett as “absolutely horrendous”. Due to the recent clampdown on the borders around the UK, it is getting harder and more dangerous to smuggle people across. But this won’t stop people who are desperate, and they are willing to pay as much as possible to get here. Even if it costs them their lives.   

There are too many examples of these inhumane nail salons around the UK and this can only be rectified if we, as the public, become more vigilant. It is very important to know what signs to look for and what is best to do if you suspect a nail bar of human trafficking. There is an extensive list of things to look for and one sign is that the staff will act differently to what is expected. If modern slavery is occurring the atmosphere of the whole nail salon would usually feel different. The staff will be likely to be very quiet and speak little to no English. Furthermore, they won’t talk amongst themselves and will also seem frightened of the manager as this indicates abuse. Another suspicious factor is if some of the staff seem unusually young or not trained to the standard you would expect. An additional red flag is if the business is cash only. This is not always a definitive sign as some nail salons find it is easier to take cash as the owner may find it easier to have the money instantly, however, if they insist on cash this could be a sign of tax evasion which is extremely common in these circumstances. The staff will also refuse to handle any money and instruct you to give it to the manager. Indicating that the manager hardly pays them or doesn’t. Therefore, they wouldn’t want to give them a chance to handle any money. If you spot multiple signs in a budget nail bar, then you should act.  

If you suspect a nail bar of human trafficking you should call the police. You must judge if the situation is an emergency and if so, call 999. However, if it is not as urgent call 101. There are also options if you want to stay anonymous such as talking to charities without giving your name. Whatever you do, don’t just do nothing as if you are right it will help the wellbeing of many workers. There are other ways you can put a stop to this form of slavery too. As consumers, we hold the power. Try and support legitimate businesses as even though they may be a few more pounds expensive, it is worth it because it stops making the nail bar such a profitable form of human trafficking which is fueling the problem. You have the power. Use it.