Increasing reports of exploitation of workers in nail salons
While not a new phenomenon, the exploitation of workers employed in the nail industry has gained increased attention in recent years. Multiple reports point to this sector as being a target of choice for human trafficking and economic exploitation.
Nail salons (or nail bars) are regularly cited as sectors that are known for the presence of workers that are victims of economic exploitation or human trafficking. In its 2022 report on Trafficking and smuggling of human beings, Myria, the Federal Migration Centre, already highlighted that nail salons have a high propensity to employ workers that are low-skilled and more vulnerable to exploitation.
Other organisations active in the fight against human trafficking have flagged this sector as being particularly at risk for cases of illegal activity. On 18 October 2023, for EU Anti-Trafficking Day, the Samilia Foundation chose the issue of human trafficking in the nail bar sector as the focus of its awareness campaign. The campaign featured testimonies, insights from social inspection services and the judiciary, and included displays in the 17 busiest metro stations in Brussels. Additionally, influencer Vanessa Licata shared a video on social media to explain trafficking in nail salons to a younger audience. The campaign also provided a QR code linking to the Samilia website, offering additional information and contact numbers for customers who may witness trafficking or for victims themselves.
More recently, media reports have brought the issue to light once again, notably due to the popularity of nail treatments and the surge of nail salons in Brussels, particularly from persons of Asian origin. The reports mention difficult working conditions, long hours, low pay, exposure to harsh chemicals, and even confiscation of passports and threats of abuse. In 2021, out of the 39 Vietnamese migrants who died in a refrigerator lorry travelling between Belgium and the UK, in what became known as the “Essex tragedy”, at least one of the victims had previously been employed in the nail bar industry in Belgium before attempting this illegal crossing.
For more information, please consult the following sources:
- Myria’s 2022 Report on the Trafficking and smuggling of human beings (available in French and Dutch)
- Samilia’s 2023 campaign “Under the nail polish, human exploitation”
Photo credits © Samilia