UK needs to wake up to horrors of modern-day slavery: Theresa May

"It's great that The Independent and Evening Standard have shone a light on this issue," she said in an exclusive interview. "A vital part of the answer to this problem is to raise awareness of it.

"People sometimes think, 'slavery? That finished centuries ago. It isn't today's world.'

"They look around London and see all the positives of a dynamic, prosperous city.

"But hidden underneath are a lot of people who are suffering because slavery, sadly, is never very far from us."

The Prime Minister was, therefore, pleased when The Independent launched its in-depth investigation into the scandal a week ago, highlighting the experiences of former slaves like Abigail and Thanh.

Even after years of listening to victims first hand, Ms May feels the same burning outrage at such horrifying accounts.

"My reaction is, 'how can anybody treat another human being like that?'" she said.

"How can anybody think that they can put another human being through all of that pain and suffering, and use them just as an object?"

Unlike most readers, the Prime Minister has the power to do something. Two years ago as Home Secretary she brought in the most up-to-date laws in the world to crack down on modern slave drivers.

And today in New York, she aims to secure a global commitment at the United Nations (UN) to acknowledge the scandal and unite with tough action against the perpetrators.

International action is vital, she explains, because most – though not all – of the crimes involve people far from home and family. One of the most harrowing stories was told to her by a woman taken as a child from Uganda and enslaved to a family in London who abused her horribly. "As a young child somebody came into her village and promised to her mother that she could offer her a better life," Ms May said.

"The girl had never left her village before but she was taken off into the city, put on a plane, brought here to the UK.

"Here she was taken into domestic servitude, but also sexually exploited. She was raped by the man of the house and also by his friends when they came round. "Then, after several years of this, the family moved away and just left her – left her on the streets of London." At the UN, she will urge leaders "to work collaboratively and internationally". But she will also ask them "to look at their own situation".

The Prime Minister urged Independent readers to look around with fresh eyes for signs of slavery in their communities.