Human trafficking
Human trafficking was highlighted in the
MInisters for Women Priorities as a blight on the lives of
women, men and children in many different continents. In
particular, trafficking of women to Britain for the purposes of
sexual exploitation was identified as a major problem. It is
essential to highlight their plight and to put an end to this
modern version of the slave trade.
In recent years the Government has done a great
deal to step up action to tackle trafficking, support victims and
bring perpetrators to justice through the
Home Office Action Plan on Tackling Human
Trafficking. In December 2008 the UK Government
ratified the
Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human
Beings, introducing a forty-five day minimum reflection period
for all identified victims and temporary one-year renewable
residence permits in certain circumstances. This is in addition to
legislation introduced by this Government, which has secured 92
convictions for trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation
under the Sexual Offences Act (as of December 2008).
The Government has invested around £5.8million
into specialist services for victims of trafficking since the
POPPY
project opened in 2003. The POPPY Project, run by Eaves
Housing, provides a combination of safe accommodation and support
for victims of trafficking.
A major operation against human trafficking -
known as Operation Pentameter 2 – came to an end on 31 March 2008
which resulted in the successful recovery of 167 victims. To read
more click
here.
In January, as part of the drive to tackle human
trafficking, the Government Equalities Office published a report,
‘Women Not for Sale’, which
highlights the scope and scale of personal classified advertising
in the regional and local press in England. Nearly three quarters
of the publications captured in this snapshot carried
advertisements for services supplied by women, and almost half of
the papers reviewed for the report carried advertisements which
specifically referred to non-British women.
A number of newspaper groups have, in the light
of Women Not for Sale, and the revised guidance from the Newspaper
Society, confirmed that they are changing their advertising policy
for personal classified advertising to take into account concerns
about human trafficking. We very much welcome this.