It's a Penalty works collaboratively to end human trafficking, exploitation and abuse. We run local and global education and awareness campaigns highlighting penalties for offenders, the signs to look out for, and how to make a report.
Our Student Ambassador Programme educates and empowers UK university students to prevent human trafficking, the world's fastest growing crime.
It’s a Penalty run global campaigns during major sporting events such as the Olympic & Paralympic Games and the NFL Super Bowls, working in partnership with the sports, travel and tourism industry, NGO's, law enforcers and top athletes. We also advocate for legal reform to improve protection from sexual exploitation and abuse for children through our CommonProtect programme.
Human trafficking is the world’s fastest growing crime and it’s estimated that 50 million people are currently living in modern slavery, including 122,000 people in the UK. 71% of all modern slavery victims are women and girls and 99% of adults and children forced into sexual exploitation are female.
Students are particularly at risk as most are young people living away from home for the first time. The cost-of-living crisis has increased these vulnerabilities in recent years with female students, international students and students from low-income backgrounds being most at risk of exploitation from criminal gangs.
Earlier this year, over 50 international were found working in forced labour conditions in North Wales care homes; based on Freedom of Information requests at seven universities, up to 109 university students were believed to be involved in County Lines drug trafficking between 2017 and 2021; and on the sugar dating website Seeking Arrangements, over 500,000 British university students are listed, where they are at risk of sexual exploitation.
Despite this, currently only 7.7% of universities provide any training on modern slavery to students and only 15% of university modern slavery statements make reference to students being vulnerable.
Our Opportunities
It’s a Penalty’s Student Ambassador Programme is a highly flexible and impactful volunteering opportunity. You’ll support us to achieve our mission of ending abuse, exploitation and human trafficking, the world's fastest growing crime.