HUMAN TRAFFICKING Networks FLOURISH in UK "UK Fastest-Growing Criminal Industry"

• published: 19 Jan 2013
• views: 681

"UK MODERN-DAY SLAVERY" HUMAN TRAFFICKING networks FLOURISH in UK, UK Fastest-Growing Criminal Industry Location: London, UK Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing forms of international crime, and is now flourishing in the UK. Many of those smuggled into Britain become victims of sexual, domestic and labor exploitation. Sarah was trafficked to Britain at the age of 12. Now she's 19, but is still afraid to talk about her experience. But the fact that she's played here by an actor doesn't make her horrific story any less real. "I was not allowed out, I was not allowed to do anything, I was the one doing all the cleaning and cooking and looking after the children, but I am not even allowed out to take the kids to school", she says. Eventually, Sarah's female employer threw her out of the house. Aged just 14, with no way of contacting relatives at home, she lived on the streets for nine months, begging, until she eventually found help through ECPAT - an international group campaigning against child trafficking. It's a story that's all too common, and it's not just about domestic slavery. "I was like a slave and every time I kept bleeding, I kept trying to clean myself up and I kept getting called and she was shouting, asking me to keep cleaning even if the house is clean I have to keep cleaning", Sarah recalls. According to experts, many people are trafficked to work on cannabis farms in the UK, and are often kept in a perpetual cycle of debt, or through fear of repercussions for their families. But another sector that is rife with trafficking victims, particularly from Asia is high-street nail bars. Figures from the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on human trafficking show it's risen by 33% compared to last year. And victims come from all over the world - Africa, Europe and the Far East. MP Peter Bone comments: "I think last year, police estimate there were 2000 victims found. Now if there were 2000 victims, say they were just 10% - that means there are 20 thousand people trafficked into this country this year. It's a huge business." That rise could be because more cases are being reported. But Chloe Setter, who works with trafficking victims, including Sarah, says it's partly down to a lack of police awareness, only eight cases of trafficking were successfully prosecuted last year. "Trafficking is seen not just in the UK but worldwide as a low-risk high-reward crime. So those criminals who might previously have been smuggling drugs or arms may now be looking to also smuggle children and people", says advocacy officer from ECPAT UK Chloe Setter. Anthony Steen, chair of a parliamentary group on trafficking is leading the biggest ever conference on the subject held in Britain. "Slavery is a trade, and modern day slavery is alive and well, and ten times the size of what it was when it was abolished 200 years ago", he says. But prosecution relies heavily on hearsay evidence and testimony. And huge numbers of victims, like Sarah, never want to talk about their experiences again. * 1. Sarah, played by actor (speaking English): "I was not allowed out, I was not allowed to do anything, I was the one doing all the cleaning and cooking and looking after the children, but I am not even allowed out to take the kids to school. I was locked inside the house, there is no way I could open the door from the inside." 00:00 -- 00:16 2. Various of Sarah walking. 00:16 -- 00:26 3. Sarah, played by actor (speaking English): "I was getting beaten by the men, I was smacked and raped. I kept getting raped and they tied me up and did things. I was like a slave and every time I kept bleeding, I kept trying to clean myself up and I kept getting called and she was shouting, asking me to keep cleaning even if the house is clean I have to keep cleaning." 00:26 -- 00:47 4. Various of Sarah walking. 00:47 -- 01:12 5. Various of manicure salon, women being made a manicure by Asian women. 01:12 -- 01:24 6. Peter Bone, MP, Co-chair, All party parliamentary group on human trafficking (speaking English): "I think last year, police estimate there were 2000 victims found. Now if there were 2000 victims, say they were just 10% - that means there are 20 thousand people trafficked into this country this year. It's a huge business. For organized criminal gangs, this is the second most profitable thing to drugs, and a lot less chance of getting caught." 01:24 -- 01:47 7. Various of conference. 01:47 -- 01:56 8. Chloe Setter, advocacy officer, ECPAT UK (speaking English): 01:56 -- 02:28 9. Various of conference. 01:56 -- 02:36 10. Anthony Steen, chair of a parliamentary group on trafficking (speaking English): "Slavery is a trade, and modern day slavery is alive and well, and ten times the size of what it was when it was abolished 200 years ago." 02:36 -- 02:45 11. Various views of London street, manicure salon. 02:45 - 02:52 *