"In view of the constantly increasing trafficking of human beings, particularly women and children, for sexual exploitation and forced labour, this meeting urges HM Government to put into place legislation to combat trafficking and support victims, and urges all WI members to raise public awareness of this issue".
Public Affairs Sub-Committee,
West Yorkshire Federation
Human trafficking is global, its reach and its effects are devastating. Last year, I co-hosted a conference on the exploitation of trafficked women and children in London's sex trade with my Green colleague Jenny Jones - Deputy Mayor for London. At that conference, the Dutch police force, Members of the European Parliament and NGOs discussed with the Home Office and Metropolitan Police, how the UK needs to radically change its approach to dealing with this crime.
There has been much confusion over the issue - what is trafficking? It is certainly not an illegal immigration issue and should not be confused with people smuggling. By definition, those who have been trafficked have been coerced or deceived into the hands of the traffickers and they are trafficked for the explicit purpose of being exploited. These are the people that this resolution is about.
Trafficking is not an immigration issue: it is a crime and like all crime it has its victims. Nor is it only confined to London, as many may believe, there cases of trafficking across the country, with high profile raids being recently documented in both Sheffield and Leeds.
Since our conference there has been some effort to the strengthen legal grounds for prosecution: trafficking for sexual purposes is now a criminal offence under the Sex Offences Act 2003 and trafficking people for exploitation is due to become an offence under the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill. Penalties can reach up to 14 years.
Yet not enough has been done to offer protection to the victims who are still often referred to as illegal 'entrants' and deported. Whilst some women and children may view coming to the UK as being an opportunity, once trafficked they face imprisonment in illegal brothels, 24-hour working days, forced drug addiction, no rights, identity or determination over their own bodies. They face reprisals from their families, community or traffickers, and the ordeal of being trafficked again should they be returned home. The Dutch experience has shown very clearly how, unless the victims are offered support, valuable information is lost and the chain is never broken.
At present there is only one project which seeks to address this lack of victim support -Eaves Housing in London's POPPY Project has been given a year's extended Government funding for its unique project offering accommodation and support to victims of sex trafficking. However this funding does not cover the cost of the project and they are obliged to raise funds for themselves too. This project only operates in London, has very limited spaces and very tightly restricted entry criteria. It faces the impossible situation of having to turn away, for example, a 16 year old who thought she was coming to the UK to work but who realises she has been trafficked and escapes before she is forced into prostitution. They can only offer her shelter if she has already been involved in prostitution, in addition if a women has escaped from prostitution more than 30 days ago, and has only just found the project, she still has to be turned away.. A woman who has escaped domestic slavery and sex abuse but has not been sold for sexual purposes does not fit the criteria. To stay on the project for more than 4 weeks, women must cooperate with police, leaving women in danger of rejection if their information is not considered 'useful'.
The Green/EFA Group in the European Parliament has convinced the European Commission that legislation is needed in this area. The Parliament's spokesperson on a Directive addressing human trafficking is Patsy Sorenson MEP (Green - Belgium). As well as being the Parliament's leading anti-trafficking campaigner, she has also used her report to challenge Member State Governments to introduce a minimum 30-day reflection period for the victims of trafficking.
There is much to be done on this issue and we should, and I certainly am, calling on the UK Government to take the following action:
1. At present the UK government has decided to opt-out of the EU Directive on Illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings. This directive would go some way to providing care including a short-term residence permit issued to victims. This is an international crime and unless governments work together the issue will never be addressed effectively.
2. Offer a 3-month period of reflection to victims of trafficking that is not dependent on the woman's intention to testify against the trafficker;
3. Extend counselling and safe houses to enable victims to overcome the trauma of having been trafficked;
4. Widen the criteria of the POPPY Project to enable them to take those who have yet to face sexual exploitation, take all victims of trafficking (not just those trafficked for sexual purposes), and to offer support for women who exited prostitution more than 30 days ago;
5. Establish safe houses specifically for trafficked children (there are currently none) and establish safe houses (such as the Poppy Project) across the UK, not merely in London;
6. Pass legislation to guarantee funding for victim support;
7. Train Police, Immigration Officers, Social workers and CPS barristers about human trafficking, the options available to victims and how to support trafficked persons during their investigations.
I trust
that the National Federation of Women, an institution that has represented the
interests and needs of women across borders and across generations, will consider
passing this resolution and use it's considerable influence to convince the Government
to improve policy in this area.