More than 500 potential victims of modern slavery were identified in Wales last year.

First Responder organisations in the country referred individuals for support after they were subjected to criminal, labour, sexual exploitation, and domestic servitude.

Some were trafficked from other towns and cities in Wales and the UK, while others were brought in from other parts of the world.

The news was brought to light on Anti-Slavery Day, October 18, by Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt.

She said: "The Anti-Slavery conference highlighted the immense challenges we face in overcoming modern slavery in Wales, and we cannot ignore the scale of this issue."

The Anti-Slavery Wales conference was held at Aberystwyth University this week and aimed to increase understanding of modern slavery and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and expertise.

The Social Justice Secretary stressed the importance of partnership working in combating this issue.

She said: "As a government, we are committed to working with the UK Government, other devolved governments, and organisations across all sectors to tackle the challenges of modern slavery.

"Through working together, we can make even more progress in protecting people and supporting individuals who have been trafficked.

"We can also continue to pursue and prosecute the criminals responsible for carrying out this terrible crime and work to identify and mitigate risks of labour exploitation in business activities and supply chains.

"We all have a part to play, and we can all make a difference."

Ms Hutt's statement serves as a call to action for the community in recognising and addressing modern slavery.