Coronation Street are to explore the issue of modern slavery, human trafficking and work exploitation.
Seb Franklin finds himself dragged into the murky world of modern slavery when he falls for nail bar worker Alina. Seb is initially unaware that Alina is living in squalid conditions, having been brought over to the UK as part of an Eastern European human trafficking ring. When he realises what is going on he sets about trying to expose the slave gangmasters, putting his own life and that of others on the street at risk.
In the storyline that starts in April, Eileen Grimshaw is also caught up in the drama as viewers will see that her new Polish builder boyfriend Jan is involved in some way, could it be that he is part of the gang?
The show's researchers have been working closely with The Salvation Army who were chosen by the UK Government in 2011 to manage support services to people who have been enslaved, since that time over 8000 survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking have come in to their care.
They have been instrumental in getting the public to be on the lookout for possible cases of modern slavery. In the past year they have concentrated on protecting people from becoming exploited in the first place as well as providing longer-term support for existing survivors. They hope that showing this storyline will encourage viewers to think about the ethics behind some of the services we all take for granted.
Kathy Betteridge, Director of Anti Trafficking and Modern Slavery at The Salvation Army said: "Modern slavery is happening all around us, hidden in plain sight. The key to combating this horrific problem is for people to understand what it looks like and know how to take action. For ITV's Coronation Street to take on such a challenging topic will no doubt be of great help in this.
The victims we support tell us how they fear to break free because they don't believe someone will help them. We hope that this story of one woman's ordeal will help more people not only to realise the reality of modern slavery in today's society but also the importance of being aware of suspicious signs around us and to report any concerns they have to the authorities. In this way lives can be saved.
We are also grateful to ITV for the responsible way in which they have worked with us to ensure that the story told is authentic and sensitive to the reality of the experiences of the thousands of people supported by The Salvation Army."
Coronation Street producer, Iain McLeod said: ““This is one of the biggest hidden scandals in the UK today. Our research has shown us that in many towns and cities across Britain, people are being forced to work against their will, living in extreme poverty and in fear for their safety, all so ruthless criminal gangs can get rich at their expense.
We are keen to highlight that slavery hides in plain sight - the salon which does your nails for a too-good-to-be-true price, the car wash which valets your hatchback for half the going rate... these could all be staffed by people who are being coerced, threatened and exploited. Yes, they might seem upbeat and friendly to talk to - but is there something darker and more tragic going on that we don’t stop to notice? If you’re getting a service for a price that seems unreal, ask yourself how that’s possible.”
Alina is played by Romanian born actress Ruxandra Porojnicu.
Useful link and information:
https://issuu.com/salvationarmyuk/docs/modern_slavery_report_2018_final_lo?e=5764755/65201004
Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
7 comments:
So Seb doesn't die then.
I thought they did this storyline already with the owners of the factry's competition that had a woman locked in their house? The O'Driscolls I think?
Eva and Billy were the one to bust them. I can't remember the poor woman's name.
Yes, that’s right C in Canada - her name was Marta.
I think that Aiden helped Eva too. They were clients from the factory, if I remember correctly.
There was also Wiki Dankowska in 2007. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coronation_Street_characters_(2007)#Wiki_Dankowska
The storyline was a bit different but it did deal with unfair wages and working conditions at the factree.
The unfair wages at the factory storyline was when Paul and Liam still owned it and Carla brought in Polish workers for her children's clothing line.
The slave labor storyline was a few years later when Eva and Aiden went to clients home for a dinner party and Eva found a young woman working there who was being held...they had confiscated her passport etc.
Two different stories..both centered around people in the factory
While I sympathise with this situation and other storylines on Corrie, this is not the reason I watch it. It is getting harder to enjoy the program I have loved since the first day it aired. If I want every social injustice in the world shoved in my face, I just have to see the news. For me Corrie is enertainment, not an opportunity to view all the evils in the world. What will they tackle next?...the extinction of the snark?🤔🤨
Post a Comment