A new campaign has launched in London to find victims of “hidden crimes” such as modern slavery.
The Hidden Harms Project, which is being run in seven languages by charity Crimestoppers, aims to increase reporting of potential offences.
The three-year initiative, run through radio and social media, aims to reach at least 100,000 Londoners per year and will raise awareness about the tell-tale signs of crimes including human trafficking and domestic violence.
Each media campaign will be run in several languages spoken widely across London in an attempt to reach some of the most marginalised, and all information received will be directly passed to the Metropolitan Police Service.
The Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit at the National Crime Agency (NCA) will also be informed and involved.
The Hidden Harms Project has already proved successful in other UK regions, seeing a 158 per cent increase in reports across Yorkshire and the Northwest within four months of launching.
One anonymous tip off, with details of 20 people who were being held as slaves, led to more than a dozen arrests and the safeguarding of victims.
The campaign will be funded by a £90,000 donation from the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime.
