News

Today The Salvation Army, in partnership with Anti-Slavery Australia, Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, Project Respect and Scarlet Alliance, are launching a new national program to support victim-survivors of modern slavery in Australia to access help. This follows longstanding advocacy to improve rights-based support for victim-survivors.

The Additional Referral Pathway will be a contact point that can support people impacted by modern slavery to understand their rights and support options. The Additional Referral Pathway can assess for indicators of modern slavery in a person’s experience, referring eligible victim- survivors of modern slavery onto the Support for Trafficked People Program.

The Additional Referral Pathway will also support victim-survivors with safety planning, legal advice and addressing immediate welfare needs until the Support for Trafficked People Program takes over for longer term intensive support.

Funded through the Department of Social Services (DSS), the Additional Pathway Program is a pilot program operational from 23 July 2024 until 28 November 2025. The development of the new program builds upon the efforts of the Working Group chaired by the Australian Red Cross, including The Salvation Army, Anti-Slavery Australia, Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans, Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, International Organization for Migration, Lighthouse Foundation, Project Respect and Scarlet Alliance.

Modern slavery is used to describe situations where a person experiences exploitation, coercion and control and includes trafficking, debt bondage, forced labour, servitude, slavery and forced marriage. The Walk Free Foundation estimates there may be up to 41,000 people experiencing conditions of modern slavery in Australia, however only several hundred people each year have been formally identified.

Historically, the Support for Trafficked People Program has only been able to be accessed by victim-survivors when they have been referred by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Many victim-survivors may not feel safe or willing to talk to the AFP as a first point of contact due to fear or distrust of authorities, threats of reprisal to them or their family amongst other reasons.

“The Salvation Army, alongside many other members of civil society, have long advocated for the delinking of the Support for Trafficked People Program (STPP) from Australian Federal Police referral, in order to reduce barriers to help-seeking,” stated Lorrinda Hamilton, General Manager, Family Violence and Modern Slavery Stream for The Salvation Army. “It is heartening to see the Australian Government take action on this issue.”

It is hoped this program will enable many more victim-survivors to reach out, be identified and access support.

The Additional Referral Pathway is contactable in business hours, nationwide. To get in touch to seek support, phone 1800 000 277 (1800 000 ARP) or find additional contact options such as website message or email on salvationarmy.org.au/additional-referral- pathway/

People can also seek support through any of the consortium partner organisations directly, with contact details available at salvationarmy.org.au/additional-referral-pathway/contact-us/