I never thought I would be a slave until I went to work in Ibiza | UK News

If you want to find Kate Goldstone, she’s probably in the pub.

The 31-year-old, who works for the British Border Force’s National Safeguarding and Modern Slavery Team, is a regular at the three Wetherspoons at London’s Gatwick Airport – and during working hours too.

In June, Kate was chatting away to young adults over burgers and beers as they waited for their flight to the Mediterranean, where they would be heading off for seasonal work (and lots of fun).

But Kate was only there to talk about one thing: slavery.

She tells Metro.co.uk that one of the lads she spoke to was only paid in Jagerbombs. ‘That’s not payment, that’s a drink,’ she adds.

‘After three days it gets a bit tiring and then the guy realizes he signed up for something he didn’t want. Luckily he came back and has pretty good memories of it, but not everyone has that.’

Know your rights

Kate is one of dozens of Border Force officers who took part in ‘Operation Karetu’, which saw them visit airports to talk to Britons about their employment rights and the risk of falling into the hands of exploitative employers and human traffickers.

“I think many Britons don’t consider themselves modern-day slaves,” says Kaye, “but the reality of what happened to you does.

“There is no shame or embarrassment to be had. We 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 forms of slavery, with around 122,000 of them in situations of modern slavery in the UK, according to last year’s annual Global Slavery Index.

Slavery has historically 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, debt bondage, forced marriage or sexual exploitation.

“Modern slavery is the systematic deprivation of liberty, where one person is exploited by another for personal or financial gain,” said Abigail Munroe, senior analyst for the advocacy group Walk Free, which compiles the annual rankings.

‘Essentially, it refers to situations of exploitation from which a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, force, coercion, deception or abuse of power.’

Hotspots

Kate and other agents targeted people who fly to holiday destinations such as Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca, part of Spain’s Balearic Islands, for seasonal work, ranging from restaurant workers to camp counselors and lifeguards.

In 2018, the Foreign Office found that around eight in 10 Britons enslaved in Spain had some form of dodgy PR role in the hospitality industry.

“When we looked into it further, we discovered that the stories had something in common: exploitation,” says Kate, who often works long days for low wages of no more than two euros a night.

An amount that you can’t even buy bread for in Ibiza, for example.

Some have also had their passports stolen, leaving them stranded with their employers. ‘A passport is your lifeline and we’ve heard stories of people saying they had to do things they didn’t want to do to get their passport back. That’s exploitation,’ says Kate.

Poor accommodation was also a theme, ‘It’s all great the first week because they say, “Oh, we’ll give you accommodation and food, but only if you perform well,”‘ Kate explains. ‘Sometimes it’s just one meal and it’s not a steak dinner, it’s whatever’s in the kitchen.’

Women were often forced to wear certain clothes to ‘attract a certain clientele and engage in sexual conversations with people’. Others were groped and sexually abused.

“Women and girls’ vulnerability to modern slavery is caused by power inequalities, which are often exacerbated by gender inequality,” Abigail notes.

‘There are several factors that contribute to this vulnerability of women and girls, including limited access to education, reduced economic independence and access to resources, increased risk 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 as a tourist in the EU is illegal, and people who are not residents of the bloc need a job, work permit or visa to clock in and out, the Spanish government says.

“You can’t just walk in and get a job. You need a visa,” says Kate. “If you’re caught working illegally, it’s a crime and you’re subject to Spanish law.”

Fun in the sun?

People travelling to the Mediterranean to work as ‘unofficial PR reps’ has been Border Force’s biggest concern this year. These gigs see people earning a living by sponsoring parties and events at various bars and nightclubs, escorting people to restaurants or offering them shots.

“They’re relatively low-paid, low-skilled jobs that last a few months,” says Kate. “The legitimate jobs are great – people go out, have a great time and come back.”

“It’s unofficial in the sense that it’s not what you would expect in terms of contract law. They’re jobs, they should have a contract,” Kate adds.

Cristina Patriarca, the coordinator of safe migration campaigns at the advocacy group Anti-Slavery International, agrees. Without a paper trail, employers can feel empowered to abuse their workers with impunity.

“Without a clear understanding of labor laws, people can involuntarily end up in unofficial jobs,” she says.

‘This leaves them vulnerable to labour rights violations, such as working excessively long hours in harmful conditions that they did not consent to but cannot leave.’

Kate advises people looking to swap the dull British skies for the beach to read their contracts – and there should be a contract – and check in advance what accommodation they are being offered.

“Because if you get there and it’s not what they promised, you have every right to say, ‘No, I’m not going to do that,’” she says.

“You don’t have to accept it just because you signed a contract. So it’s making sure you know your legal rights, your welfare and who you can call for support. For example, the Foreign Office.”

This year Border Force officers spoke to 1,000 people at 22 airports. While Operation Karetu focused on the Balearics, Kate says officers will be looking at those flying to Greece and Cyprus next year.

“We know that young people travelling abroad for the first time are vulnerable to exploitation, with some forced to work long hours for minimal wages or becoming involved in criminal behaviour,” said Immigration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra.

‘That’s why Border Force protection operations, like Operation Karetu, are so important. They ensure that young people are well protected from harm.’

And it works. Since 2022, there have been no cases of labour exploitation reported to the British Consulate in the Balearic Islands.

“That doesn’t mean we’ve stopped,” Kate emphasizes, “it means we’re going to keep going, and keep going, and keep going. We’re not going to stop.”

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