Low Cost Interventions
4. 'Safe Exit' phones & SIMs (pre-paid, no contract)
Discreet phones for victims leaving trafficking/gangs/county lines. Allows these individuals to have safe contact with service without abuser surveillance. Core to rapid exit pathways.
Costing for 200 units:
Handsets: £2,400-£4,000
SIMs/top-ups: £1,000-£2,000
Basic cases/chargers: £600-£1,000
Total: £4,000-£7,000
Procurement & activation: 1 week
Safety briefing scripts for staff/service users: 1 day
Total: 1 week
Top-ups for active cases (triaged): £1,000-£2,000
Replacement for lost/stolen: £300-£600 pa
Annual Maintenance Cost: £1,300-£2,600 per year
Effectiveness
Research shows this as an effective method for providing targeted support to those 'caught in cycles of victimisation, trauma, and retaliation'.
Safe communications are a practical precondition for escaping harm and engaging services.