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The children involved are particularly susceptible
as they may not speak English,
and have no one to turn to for help
Natalie Cronin
NSPCC

Of even greater concern is the lack of knowledge
we have of the extent of the trafficking of young children
Andrew Dismore, committee chairman
Human-trafficking report (506KB)

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but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6046058.stm

Sex trafficking 'must be tackled' -

Prostitute


Trafficked women have been found throughout the UK
Ministers must take "immediate action" to end the growth
of people trafficking in the UK, MPs and peers say.

Unpublished Home Office figures suggest 4,000 women victims of trafficking for prostitution were in the country at any one
time in 2003, an inquiry found.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights is calling for more protection for immigrants and specialist support for victims
of sexual exploitation.

The Home Office would "look carefully" at the proposals, a spokeswoman said.

'Serious human rights issue'

The committee described trafficking as "one of the most
serious human rights issues in the modern world".

Official figures say between 142 and 1,420 women were
trafficked to the UK in 1998.


Of even greater concern is the lack of knowledge we have
of the extent of the trafficking of young children
Andrew Dismore, committee chairman
Human-trafficking report (506KB)
Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download the reader here

The committee said that: "10 years ago, 85% of women
in brothels were UK citizens [and]
now 85% were from outside UK".

It also called for data on men and children trafficked
for work to be compiled.

The government had to set up a national identification system
and improve training in the identification of victims.

The committee's chairman, Labour MP Andrew Dismore, said:
"The growth and extent of people trafficking into the UK
is extremely worrying.

"We should recognise women trafficked for prostitution through deception, fear and violence as victims of this serious crime
and not immigration offenders or criminals themselves.

"Of even greater concern is the lack of knowledge we have of
the extent of the trafficking of young children, for domestic servitude or, even worse, labour in the drugs trade."

'No adequate system'

Workers were often "trapped by violent and abusive employers",
he added.

Daniela Reale, exploited children adviser at Save the Children, said: "At the moment there are no adequate systems in place
for these children.


The children involved are particularly susceptible as they

may not speak English, and have no one to turn to for help
Natalie Cronin
NSPCC

"Any child who has been trafficked will have had a deeply traumatic experience and will need crucial specialist support including safe house accommodation, access to education and
basic services and support to address the trauma they have experienced."

Children's charity NSPCC also said more help was needed for children.

"Child trafficking is a cruel and abhorrent form of child
abuse," NSPCC head of policy and public affairs
Natalie Cronin said.

"The children involved are particularly susceptible as
they may not speak English, and have no one to turn
to for help."

The UK is a major destination for human trafficking victims, mostly women forced to work as prostitutes, the United Nations says.

The committee's report urges the government to publish research into organised crime markets. The research is currently being conducted by the Home Office.

The protection of victims should be the focus of all policies,

it adds.

And the government should sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings,

the report says.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "The Home Office co-operated fully with the JCHR inquiry and provided both written and
oral evidence.

"We will now look carefully at the report and its recommendations."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6046058.stm