According to UK Government statistics, there are an estimated 4,000 women and children trafficked into prostitution in the UK at any one time. Hundreds more men, women and children are trafficked into forced labour, including domestic slavery, agricultural work, food processing or construction.

Traffickers use coercion, deception or the threat or use of violence to lure men, women and children into slavery. They control people through keeping their passports, demanding their labour in return for a debt or through the use of intimidation and threat. Anti-Slavery International's report Trafficking for Forced Labour: UK country report establishes that many people trafficked into Britain and forced into slavery enter the country legally from countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.

Since 2004, all forms of human trafficking constitute a criminal offence in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. But convictions are few and current protection and support services for trafficked men, women and children are inadequate; there is no specific assistance available to those trafficked for labour exploitation.

Support
Victims of trafficking need access to specialist support services as outlined in Article 6 of the UN Protocol on trafficking, which the UK Government ratified in 2006. These should include: appropriate accommodation, information in a language they can understand, medical and psychological assistance, legal advice, training and employment opportunities.

On 23 March 2007, the United Kingdom moved a step closer to providing guaranteed protection and assistance for trafficked people when it signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and pledged it would ratify this crucial convention.

It is vital the Government ratifies and implements the Convention as a matter of urgency, as it is the only international law that provides guaranteed minimum standards of protection for all trafficked people. This includes at least 30 days to stay in the country to receive emergency medical assistance, safe housing and legal advice. It also provides for temporary residence permits to be issued to those who may be in danger if returned to their country of origin.

It is equally important the Government avoids introducing policies that increase people's vulnerability to trafficking, such as its proposal for measures that would prevent migrant domestic workers from changing their employers.

Shelter
To date, the only specialist shelter for trafficked people in the UK is for women trafficked into sexual exploitation. Anti-Slavery International's campaigning helped obtain government funding for a pilot support project for women trafficked to the UK for prostitution. Launched in March 2003, the POPPY Project is run by the London-based organisation Eaves Housing for Women and is funded by the Home Office.

Trafficked women who are referred to POPPY receive assistance including safe accommodation, immediate access to health assessment, food, interpretation and translation if necessary, as well as advice. This enables them to make an informed decision as to whether they feel able to co-operate with the police, seek humanitarian protection or asylum in the UK, or to return to their country of origin.

POPPY provides accommodation for up to 35 trafficked women and also runs an outreach service providing support and assistance. Criteria for admission, as set by the Home Office, are limited. Access is granted only to women trafficked into prostitution who have been prostituted in the UK within 30 days of contacting the project. This means that women trafficked into prostitution but who have escaped from their traffickers before being prostituted, cannot access the project.

There is also no support for people trafficked into labour exploitation, such as domestic servitude, agricultural labour, etc. And, there is no specialist shelter for children trafficked to the UK and social services often does not have access to appropriate accommodation for them.

Legislation
The Government introduced an offence of trafficking for sexual exploitation in the Sexual Offences Act, 2003 and a separate offence of trafficking for all forms of labour exploitation in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act, 2004. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Government action
In 2006, the Police launched Operation Pentameter, a three-month long multi-agency operation focussing on tackling trafficking for sexual exploitation across the UK. By its end, police had rescued 84 women and 12 children trafficked into sexual exploitation.

Following Pentameter, the UK Government established a police intelligence unit in October 2006, to work on trafficking for forced labour, sexual exploitation and internal trafficking. Based in Sheffield, the UK Human Trafficking Centre is a multi-agency organisation, bringing key bodies together. It comprises police from across the country, and staff from the Serious Crime Unit, Immigration Service, Crown Prosecution Service, and a victim support co-ordinator.

In March 2007, the Government published the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. If fully implemented, this will set up a national referral mechanism and provide protection and assistance to all trafficked people, which would fulfil the minimum standards of protection stated under the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings .

Case studies --

Ivan* from Bulgaria:
“A friend in Bulgaria said he could get us work as IT specialists in the UK. We had to pay fees for the job search, such as arranging of all of the administrative requirements. When we came to England, we were told that there was no IT job available and that we had to work in a fish processing factory instead. High deductions were made from our pay for accommodation, transport and food, leaving us with only a couple of pounds each week. Our shift started in the morning and finished at night; we did not see daylight for months. Our passports were taken away from us, and we were threatened with violence and deportation if we complained.”

Leila* from Sri Lanka
“I came to the UK when I was 29 with a family I worked for in Jordan. The lady of the house treated me very badly and the other members of the house would not respect my space or need for rest. I had no room of my own and had to sleep on a sofa bed in the sitting room, where I was disturbed by anybody who would come in late and whenever they wanted to use the room.

“I had to work 16-18 hours every day; I was not allowed any day-off for the first two years and only earned £200 per month. I was not allowed to eat with the family and was given only leftovers or onion and potatoes to eat. I was automatically blamed for any missing food.

“I was deliberately kept without visa, so that I could not run away. I repeatedly asked for a letter from my employer to get a visa, but they refused.

“The only time I was allowed out of the house was to go shopping in the local supermarket. One day when I was there, I was told about Kalayaan by a fellow migrant domestic worker. Eventually, I managed to get in touch with them and got help.”

*Not his/her real name

Date: 2007