MP joins Windermere protest march against modern slavery
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron joined around 100 local residents on Saturday for the 'Walk for Freedom' in Windermere, to promote awareness of modern day slavery.
The walk set off from Lakes School in Windermere, and ended up at Bowness Bay. The event involved a single-file line of participants dressed in black with black tape across their mouths.
There are estimated to be 27 million people in slavery across the globe. In the UK in 2015, 3,266 people were identified as potential victims of trafficking. This is a 40% increase on 2014 figures. Of this total, 982 of these were children.
Additionally, a report by the International Organisation for Migration found that 21% of women who were trafficked into sexual exploitation in the UK but managed to escape were then re-trafficked.
The walk was organised as one of 300 walks across 40 countries globally by A21. A21 is an organisation which exists to promote freedom and justice in the 21st century, and aims to abolish human trafficking, which it says is the "fastest growing crime in the world".
Tim said: "It is shameful and shocking that slavery still exists in the 21st century. This walk was a powerful reminder of the terrible scourge of modern slavery which we must fight to eradicate from the UK and from the world.
"It is sickening to think that here in the UK, vulnerable people including children are trafficked into a life of slavery and untold horror from which they cannot escape.
"I'd like to thank everyone who participated in the walk on Saturday, as well as those who had put in time and effort to organise the event. By raising awareness of this issue we can help to build momentum for this cause and stamp out slavery for good."