If you want to find Kate Goldstone, she’s probably at the pub.
The 31-year-old, who works on the British Border Force’s National Safeguarding and Modern Slavery Team, is a regular face at the three Wetherspoons in London’s Gatwick Airport – all while on the clock.
In June, Kate was busy chatting with young adults over burgers and beers as they waited for flights to the Mediterranean where they were headed for seasonal work (and plenty of fun).
But Kate was only there to talk about one thing: enslavement.
She tells Metro.co.uk one of the lads she’s spoken to was only paid in Jagerbombs. ‘That’s not payment, that’s a drink,’ she adds.
‘After three days, that gets a bit tiring and that’s when the guy realised he had signed himself up for something he didn’t want. Luckily he came back and has quite good memories of it, but not everyone does.’
Kate is one of dozens of Border Force agents who took part in ‘Operation Karetu’, which saw them visit airports to speak to Brits about their labour rights and the risk of falling into the hands of exploitative employers and human traffickers.
‘I think a lot of British people may not view themselves as modern slaves,’ Kaye says, ‘but the reality of what has happened to you does.
‘You shouldn’t be ashamed or embarrassed by it – we’re here to encourage anyone who has been a victim of crime to come forward and tell us so we can help you.’
At least 50 million people around the world are trapped in modern versions of enslavement. Around 122,000 of those are in situations of modern slavery in the UK, according to last year’s annual Global Slavery Index.
Historically, slavery has been defined as people being held as legal property. Human rights campaigners tell Metro.co.uk that modern versions of slavery can include human trafficking, forced labour, bondage from indebtedness, forced marriage or sexual exploitation.
‘Modern slavery is the systemic removal of a person’s freedom, where one person is exploited by another, for personal or financial gain,’ says Abigail Munroe, a senior analyst for the advocacy group Walk Free which creates the annual ranking.
‘Essentially, it refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, or abuse of power.’
Kate and other agents focused on those flying to holiday hotspots like Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca, part of Spain’s Balearic Islands, for seasonal work. This can range from restaurant busboys to camp counsellors and lifeguards.
In 2018, the Foreign Office found that of the Britons enslaved in Spain, about eight in 10 were in some form of shady PR job in the hospitality sector.
‘When we delved deeper, we found the stories had something in common – exploitation,’ Kate says, with many working long hours for low wages – two euros a night at best.
A sum that, in Ibiza for example, can’t even get you a loaf of bread.
Some also had their passports stolen, trapping them to their employers. ‘A passport is your lifeline and we’ve heard stories of people saying that to get their passports back, they had to do things they didn’t want to do. That’s exploitation,’ Kate says.
Border Force has a few tips for anyone keen on leaving Britain behind, even if only for a month or two, to work:
Shoddy accommodation was also a theme, ‘It’s all great the first week because they’ll say: “Oh, we’ll give you accommodation and food, but only when you’re working well”,’ Kate explains. ‘Sometimes that’s only one meal and it’s not a steak dinner, it’s whatever’s in the kitchen.’
Women were often forced to wear certain clothing to ‘attract a certain clientele and have sexual conversations with people’. Others were groped and sexually assaulted.
‘Women and girls’ vulnerability to modern slavery is driven by power imbalances, which are often exacerbated by gender inequality,’ notes Abigail.
‘There are several factors driving this vulnerability for women and girls, including limited access to education, reduced economic independence and access to assets, increased risks of poverty, and discriminatory laws, policies, and attitudes.
‘Workers may be charged excessive fees by recruitment agencies for travel, accommodation or training, trapping them in a cycle of debt. Once isolated in a foreign country, workers may be pressured into other forms of exploitation, such as forced criminal activity or sexual exploitation.’
And the ‘work’ may not even be legal. Working while a tourist in the EU is illegal, with those not a resident of the bloc requiring a job offer, work permit or visa to clock in and out, the Spanish government says.
‘You can’t just hitch up and get a job. You need a visa,’ Kate says. ‘If you are caught working illegally, it’s a crime, and you are subject to Spanish law.’
People heading off to the Mediterranean to work as ‘unofficial PR reps’ was Border Force’s main worry this year. These gigs see people make a living sponsoring parties and events at various bars and nightclubs, ushering people into restaurants or offering them shots.
‘They’re relatively low-paid, low-skill jobs that last a couple of months,’ Kate says. ‘The legitimate ones are fine – people go out, have a great time and come back.’
‘It’s unofficial in the sense that it’s not what you’d expect regarding contract law. They are jobs, they should have a contract,’ Kate adds.
Cristina Patriarca, the safe migration campaigns coordinator at the advocacy group Anti-Slavery International, agrees. Without a paper trail, employers can feel emboldened to mistreat their workers with impunity.
‘Without clear knowledge of employment laws, people can involuntarily find themselves in unofficial jobs,’ she says.
‘As a result, they become vulnerable to labour rights violations, including working excessive hours in harmful conditions that they hadn’t agreed to, but are unable to leave.’
Kate recommends that people eager to trade Britain’s dull skies for the beach should read over their contracts – and there should be a contract – and check their provided accommodation in advance.
‘Because if you get there and it’s not what they’ve promised, then you’re well within your rights to say: “No, I’m not going to do this,”‘ she says.
‘You don’t have to put up with it, just to kind of because you’ve signed a contract. So it’s making sure that you know you’re aware of your legal rights, welfare, and who you can call to get support. I.e., the Foreign Office.’
This year, Border Force agents spoke with 1,000 people across 22 airports. While Operation Karetu focused on the Balearic islands, Kate says next year agents will look to those jetting to Greece and Cyprus.
‘We know that young people travelling abroad for the first time can be vulnerable to exploitation, with some forced to work long hours for minimal pay or drawn into criminal behaviour,’ Seema Malhotra, a minister for immigration and citizenship, says.
‘That’s why Border Force’s safeguarding operations – like Operation Karetu – are so important, ensuring young people are properly protected from harm.’
And it’s working. Since 2022, no cases of labour exploitation have been reported to the British Consular in the Balearics.
‘That doesn’t mean we’ve stopped it,’ Kate stresses, ‘it means we continue on, and on, and on. We won’t stop.’
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