Walk Free Petition: End Domestic Slavery…

“Mira had been working around 16 hours a day with no time off at all… She kept all her belongings in a small space under the washing machine. She ate only leftovers after the family had finished eating and… was frequently screamed at.”1

Domestic workers like Mira can find themselves working for abusive employers, living in abhorrent conditions and forced to work extreme hours for little or no pay.

Right now we have an opportunity to help change this. The Modern Slavery Bill is passing through Parliament. There’s been an initial vote to end a visa system that can tie domestic workers from overseas to abusive employers in the UK.2 Only one more step left to make it permanent.

It’s now up to MPs. Please tell them they must act to make this law.

The tied visa system was introduced in 2012; before this, the Overseas Domestic Workers visa offered more protections to this vulnerable group and meant people like Mira had a better chance to escape abuse. Domestic workers, campaigning groups and policy-makers have been working tirelessly ever since to reverse these changes, and they’ve secured an amendment to the Modern Slavery Bill that could do just that.

This is where you come in. The next few weeks are vital in persuading MPs to back this amendment — we must bring massive pressure to bear to give the choice over their employers back to domestic workers. The Walk Free movement has already helped to secure several other improvements to the Modern Slavery Bill — we can do the same again.

Domestic workers from overseas can find themselves in the UK working for employers that abuse them, give them hardly any food, afford them little or no pay and often lock them in the very homes they are working in.

Astonishingly UK law stops migrant domestic workers from leaving these employers. The tied visa system in the UK means they have to remain with the employer they arrived with. We know that giving these workers the right to find another employer makes them less vulnerable to modern slavery. 1

The moment to help change this is now. MPs are about to decide whether to end the tied visa system as part of the Modern Slavery Bill — will you add your voice asking them to end it?

Domestic workers, campaigning groups and policy-makers have been working tirelessly to secure changes to the Overseas Domestic Worker visa since 2012, and this amendment to the Modern Slavery Bill could do just that.

This is where you come in. This week is crucial to urge MPs to back this amendment — we must bring massive pressure to bear and give domestic workers back the choice over their employers. The Walk Free movement has already achieved several other major improvements to the UK Modern Slavery Bill — with you, we can do the same again.

Please call on your MP to support the end of the tied visa system for migrant domestic workers.