Dr Grace Robinson

Grace is the Director of Black Box Research and Consultancy. She completed her PhD in 2019, focusing on Urban Street Gangs, Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines.

Her research provides contemporary insights into one of the most prevalent forms of modern slavery in the UK. Grace is a registered expert with the Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery Expert Directory and has offered her expertise in over 300 modern slavery cases across the UK, covering drugs and weapon offences, fraud, burglary and robbery. She has also prepared reports for asylum and immigration tribunals.

During her time at the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab, Grace led key projects, including:

1. exploring the impact of Covid-19 on County Lines
2. examining the intersection between cognitive impairment and exploitation.

She also contributed to research on the prevalence of trafficking and the online sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines.

Grace has completed specialised training at St. Mary’s University on the Identification, Support, and Care of Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. She is an Associate at the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) at the University of Strathclyde, a Visiting Practitioner in Criminology at Edge Hill University, and a member of the Criminology Professional Advisory Group at Edge Hill University.

A sought-after speaker and trainer, Grace regularly delivers training on modern slavery and human trafficking and frequently contributes to podcasts, radio interviews and documentaries. She has also consulted with members of the House of Lords on the Nationality and Borders Bill.

Being trusted with survivors’ stories is my greatest privilege. I feel incredibly fortunate to do work that makes a difference, helping to amplify voices that are so often unheard. It’s a responsibility I never take for granted, and one that makes every day meaningful.