The Vavengers contributes to ‘Ethics in Researches on Modern Slavery’ a review of the current landscape and evaluation of research ethics appropriateness
Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre led by the University of Oxford led this research which was carried out by the University of Liverpool and the University of Nottingham to examine the current landscape and evaluate research ethics and appropriateness of ethics in research on modern slavery.
“The study, commissioned by the Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) draws on the extant body of evidence about approaches to research ethics in the field of MSHT as well as original empirical data collection with three key objectives. Firstly, to take stock of current practice and consider its appropriateness. Secondly, to share understanding of what it means to conduct research on MSHT ethically from a range of perspectives and, thirdly, to make targeted recommendations for a range of research stakeholders. These include research funders, research organisations (e.g. universities), research ethics committees, research teams, NGO partners and lived experience experts engaging in research.”
As a result of ongoing campaigning of activists and non-profits, funders are showing an appetite to fund research on understanding the true scale of modern slavery and trafficking as well as understanding the lived experiences of survivors. Research on this subject when working with survivors who have exploitation experiences must be handled very sensitively and given a high-ethics focus as with all other research. This report expands on how this can be achieved in a subject of research where there aren't high volumes of existing work in place.
With our CEO Sema Gornall taking part as an advocacy expert stakeholder consultant to this important research, The Vavengers proudly contributed to this report and fed in the lived experiences of our communities and how intersectional modern slavery is with other forms of violence and why these extreme vulnerabilities must be considered in the research field while conducting research.
Source and full report:
https://www.modernslaverypec.org/resources/ethics-in-modern-slavery-research