Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking: Information for Yoga Professionals

Content note: This article discusses modern slavery, human trafficking, forced labour, and exploitation.

What would you do if something about a worker, contractor, supplier, or retreat partner did not feel right?

Modern slavery and human trafficking can happen in any country and across many industries. The risk may feel distant from yoga, health, and wellbeing, but yoga professionals can be connected to wider networks through studios, retreats, events, accommodation providers, cleaning and catering services, construction work, or overseas partners.

Awareness does not mean treating every unusual situation as a crime. It means knowing what to look for, avoiding assumptions, and understanding how to respond without increasing risk to the person involved.

What do modern slavery and human trafficking mean?

Modern slavery is an umbrella term for situations where a person is controlled, coerced, or forced into work or service for someone else’s benefit. It can include forced labour, servitude, human trafficking, criminal exploitation, sexual exploitation, and domestic servitude.

Human trafficking does not have to involve crossing an international border. A person can be moved within the same town, kept in one location, or exploited through threats, deception, debt, or control.

Exploitation is often hidden. A person may not describe themselves as being exploited, may be afraid to seek help, or may believe that speaking out could put themselves or their family at greater risk.

Why should yoga professionals be aware?

Yoga teachers, studio owners, retreat organisers, and training providers may employ people directly or engage contractors and suppliers. They may also work with businesses that arrange transport, accommodation, food, cleaning, maintenance, marketing, or event support.

Risks can arise through:

• casual or unpaid work with unclear expectations;
• contractors who are paid late, paid less than agreed, or charged unexplained deductions;
• recruitment arrangements involving debt or excessive fees;
• retreat or accommodation providers with poor oversight of their workforce;
• workers who rely on an employer for accommodation, transport, food, or immigration-related support; and
• complex supplier arrangements where it is difficult to see who employs or pays the people doing the work.

Most people working in yoga are committed to care, inclusion, and ethical practice. Those values also need to extend to the people who support your classes, studios, events, and businesses.

What signs might indicate exploitation?

No single sign proves that modern slavery is taking place. A combination of indicators may be more concerning, particularly when a person appears unable to leave their situation or speak freely.

Possible indicators include:

• someone appearing frightened, withdrawn, confused, or under another person’s control;
• another person answering questions for them or refusing to let them speak privately;
• wages being withheld, redirected, or taken by someone else;
• unexplained debt, recruitment fees, or deductions that make it difficult to leave;
• no written contract or an inability to negotiate working conditions;
• unusually long hours with little or no pay;
• restricted movement or unusual transport arrangements;
• lack of access to identity documents, bank cards, or personal belongings;
• overcrowded, unsafe, or employer-controlled accommodation;
• someone living and working at the same address; or
• signs of physical or psychological harm, poor health, or untreated injuries.

These indicators can affect people of any nationality, age, gender, or background. Do not make assumptions based on someone’s immigration status, language, appearance, or nationality. Focus on the circumstances and what you have actually observed.

What should you do if you are concerned?

Do not investigate the situation yourself. Do not confront a suspected exploiter or alert anyone who may be controlling the person, as this could increase the risk to them or to you.

If it is safe and appropriate, ask whether the person is able to speak privately. Do not pressure them to disclose more than they want to share. You can say:

“I’m concerned about what I’ve noticed. Is there a safe way for you to get support?”

If someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services in the country where they are located. If there is no immediate danger, contact the local police, national anti-trafficking authority, or specialist modern slavery service relevant to that country.

In the UK, call 999 in an emergency. For non-emergency police concerns, call 101. You can also contact the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700 or use its online reporting form.

There is no single international emergency number or modern slavery helpline. If you are outside the UK, use the emergency number and police route for the country where the concern is taking place. For country-specific support, consult the European Commission’s national hotline directory for European countries, or contact the relevant government anti-trafficking service, local safeguarding organisation, embassy, or consulate where it is safe to do so.

If you are working within a studio, retreat company, training provider, or other organisation, follow its safeguarding and incident-reporting procedures. Contacting an external helpline does not replace internal safeguarding processes or any statutory duties that may apply to your role.

How should you record a concern?

If you need to make a report, record objective details such as:

• what you observed or were told;
• when and where it happened;
• who was present;
• any immediate safety concerns; and
• what action you took and when.

Do not conduct your own interview or collect unnecessary personal information. Keep records secure and share them only with the appropriate person or authority, in line with your data-protection and safeguarding procedures.

How can yoga businesses reduce the risk?

Awareness is important, but prevention needs structure. Consider the following steps:

Use clear working arrangements

Provide written contracts or terms for employees, contractors, teachers, assistants, and event staff. Set out pay, working hours, responsibilities, accommodation arrangements, and how someone can raise a concern.

Avoid informal arrangements that leave people uncertain about what they are being paid or who is responsible for them.

Choose suppliers carefully

Before working with a retreat venue, accommodation provider, cleaning company, caterer, transport provider, or recruitment agency, ask reasonable questions about how workers are recruited, paid, and supported.

Keep a record of your checks and review important suppliers periodically. You do not need to create a complex process to begin; consistent questions and clear accountability go a long way.

Create a safe way to raise concerns

Workers and contractors should know who they can speak to if something does not feel right. Provide a reporting route that is confidential where possible, accessible, and available without going through the person they are concerned about.

Consider whether language, disability, digital access, or fear of losing work could make it difficult for someone to report a concern.

Train the people who make decisions

Studio owners, managers, lead teachers, retreat organisers, and anyone responsible for engaging suppliers should understand the signs of exploitation and know what to do next.

Training should cover safe reporting, professional boundaries, safeguarding, record keeping, and the importance of not confronting a suspected exploiter.

Review overseas arrangements with care

Working internationally can involve different employment practices, legal systems, languages, and levels of oversight. Ask who is responsible for recruiting and paying staff, where workers will live, and how concerns can be raised safely.

Always check the laws, safeguarding requirements, and insurance conditions relevant to the country and activity involved.

Should you have an Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy?

Every yoga business should consider how it identifies and manages the risk of exploitation. A written Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy can set out your commitment to fair working practices, responsible purchasing, supplier checks, training, and reporting concerns.

An internal policy is good practice, but it is different from the statutory requirement to publish an annual modern slavery statement. In the UK, that requirement applies to qualifying commercial organisations that carry on a business, or part of a business, in the UK, supply goods or services, and have an annual turnover of £36 million or more. The GOV.UK guidance explains the scope and requirements.

The statutory statement requirement is not a general requirement for every yoga teacher, studio, or training provider. Organisations below the threshold can still choose to publish a statement voluntarily, and every organisation should consider the policies and safeguards appropriate to its own activities.

If you are unsure what applies to your business, seek advice appropriate to your location, legal structure, and activities.

What if you are experiencing exploitation yourself?

If you are being controlled, threatened, underpaid, forced to work, or prevented from leaving a situation, support is available. Contact the emergency services, police, or a specialist anti-trafficking service in the country where you are located.

In the UK, you can contact the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700 or use its online reporting form. If you are outside the UK, use the local support route for your country. The European Commission’s national hotline directory lists support numbers for European countries.

You do not need to investigate the situation or prove what is happening before asking for help. If it is not safe to make a call or submit a report, consider whether there is another safe way to access support, such as speaking with a trusted professional, embassy, consulate, or local specialist organisation.

Where can you learn more?

International resources

• European Commission national hotlines
• Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline international resources

UK resources

• UK Government modern slavery guidance
• Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline
• Report a concern to the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline
• National Crime Agency: modern slavery and human trafficking

Awareness should lead to responsible action

Modern slavery is a serious crime, but awareness must be matched with safe and proportionate action. Yoga professionals do not need to investigate suspected exploitation themselves. They do need to recognise when something may be wrong, protect the person’s safety, follow appropriate procedures, and report concerns through the correct route.

Ask yourself:

• Do I know who to contact if I have a concern, wherever I am teaching?
• Do my workers and contractors know how to raise one?
• Are my supplier and retreat arrangements transparent?
• Have I made sure that people can speak up without fear of losing work or accommodation?
• Do I know what my safeguarding, data-protection, and insurance procedures require?

If the answer to any of these is no, now is the time to make a change.

YogaPros supports yoga professionals in building safe, standards-led, and sustainable teaching practices. Through practical resources, professional development, and community support, we help teachers take responsibility beyond the teaching session.

Important: This article provides general awareness information. It is not legal, safeguarding, employment, or emergency advice. Reporting routes and responsibilities vary by country, region, organisation, and professional role. Always follow the procedures relevant to your circumstances.