Figures showing reports of modern slavery have risen in the Thames Valley Police area from 302 in 2018 to 353 in 2019.
The total number of victims of trafficking, slavery and forced labour is reckoned to be over 10,000 in the UK as a whole. In 2019 only 7% of referrals under the 2015 Act of Parliament were positively identified as modern slavery victims.
Suspected victims can be flagged to the Home Office via the National Referral Mechanism by government agencies, police forces, councils and other organisations.
They are then assessed and can receive support including accommodation, legal aid and counselling.
The rise in referrals to Thames Valley Police reflected the trend across the UK, where 10,627 referrals were made last year, a 52% increase from 2018.
