Human trafficking isn't just something that happens far away from the UK, to naive people in desperate situations. It could happen much closer to home than you think; it could even happen to your teenager.   In this episode I talk to Ruth Dearnley about what modern day slavery looks like and how your teenager could fall into a trap without realising what's happening.   

Ruth says human trafficking is a "global, organised, criminal business" that doesn't look anything like the Taken films, as we imagine it. Often it's framed as an exciting new job, or a travelling opportunity that looks legitimate, which is why people sign up willingly to be trafficked before they realise they're trapped - physically, financially, or through intimidation.   

Before you think about this happening abroad, it's right here in the UK. There is a high degree of trafficking in our care system, in factories, and in our farming industry. And if you've heard of County Lines in the context of drug trafficking, modern day slavery is happening there too. It often happens through grooming, and vulnerable teenagers are more prone to following the road to being groomed - when someone already feels unsafe, it's easy to convince them that the hand being offered is an opportunity. A high percentage of trafficked people have been homeless.

Listen to the episode to hear a truly amazing story about human trafficking. 

Find out more about human trafficking and get help

• Get the STOP app  
• Every Child Protected Against Trafficking
• Trafficking through County Lines

Who is Ruth Dearnley?  Ruth Dearnley is the founder and CEO of an anti-human trafficking organisation called Stop the Traffik. She wants to create a world where people are not bought and sold, through the prevention and disruption of modern slavery and human trafficking. She focuses on prevention rather than cure, and believes that bay taking a data led and tech enabled approach, people can connect and grow powerful networks that turn insight into action, creating communities that are high risk and low profit to traffickers.

More from Helen Wills:

Helen wills is a teen mental health podcaster and blogger at Actually Mummy, a resource for midlife parents of teens.

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Please note that Helen Wills is not a medical expert, and nothing in the podcast should be taken as medical advice. If you're worried about yourself or a teenager, please seek support from a medical professional.