Find out about: trafficking

What is trafficking?

Human trafficking can be defined as a person being deceived or taken against their will, bought, sold and transported into an exploitative relationship for gain or other benefits. A victim of trafficking can enter a country legally or illegally, and trafficking can take place both within and across a nation's borders. A person can be sold and trafficked many times.

A person who has been trafficked can be exploited in many ways. Some are trafficked into prostitution, begging, forced labour, domestic service or forced marriage. They may suffer repeated physical abuse, fear, torture and threats to families to ensure their compliance.

In the case of adults, victims of trafficking are usually deceived or coerced into a situation that they cannot escape from. It is not considered possible for a child [a person under the age of 18] to give informed consent, therefore any child who is recruited, transported or transferred for the purposes of exploitation is considered to be a victim of trafficking, regardless of whether or not they have been forced or deceived.

Human trafficking versus people smuggling

Human trafficking differs from people smuggling. A smuggled person voluntarily requests or hires an individual, known as a smuggler, to covertly transport them from one location to another. This generally involves transportation from one country to another, where legal entry would be denied upon arrival at the international border. There may be no deception involved between the smuggled person and the smuggler. After entry into the country and arrival at their ultimate destination, the smuggled person is usually free to find their own way.

What is being done?

In the UK, the UK Human Trafficking Centre [UKHTC] provides a point of coordination for the development of expertise and cooperation to combat the trafficking of human beings. It works with stakeholders within the UK and internationally, including all UK police forces, the UK Border Agency [UKBA], local authorities and charitable organisations.

The National Referral Mechanism [NRM] is a framework for identifying potential victims of human trafficking and ensuring they receive the appropriate care. Agencies, such as the Police, UKBA, local authorities [social services] and certain non governmental organisations [NGOs], who encounter a potential victim of human trafficking, can make referrals. The UKHTC deals with referrals from the Police, local authorities and NGOs, while UKBA deals with cases identified as part of the immigration process.

Trained case owners decide whether individuals referred to them should be considered to be victims of trafficking according to the definition in the Council of Europe Convention.

How big is the problem?

It is estimated that between 2 and 4 million people are trafficked across borders and within their own country every year – 1.2 million of whom are children [source of information: UNICEF]. Due to the illegal and covert nature of human trafficking, it is difficult to accurately estimate the scale of the problem. However, it is widely acknowledged that human trafficking is the fastest growing means by which people are enslaved, the fastest growing international crime, and one of the largest sources of income for organised crime in the world [source: UN Office on Drugs and Crime].

Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2011, there were almost 1,500 referrals to the NRM, with 88 nationalities represented. Of these, 74% were adults and 72% were women. Just over a third have been confirmed as trafficking cases. There are likely to be many more cases that have not been identified through the NRM.

More detailed data can be obtained from www.soca.gov.uk/about-soca/about-the-ukhtc/national-referral-mechanism/statistics  Unfortunately there is no region specific data available.

What can I do about it?

If you are in the UK, and you suspect that someone is being exploited or has been trafficked, either call contact your local police station or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

More information

• UK Human Trafficking Centre  [part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency].
• Blue Blindfold website: the signs  UKHTC’s Blue Blindfold campaign website gives guidance on how you can be aware of the signs of human trafficking.
• Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked. Practice guidance  Available on the Department for Education website.
• Salvation Army website: trafficking victims  The Salvation Army manages the support of all adult victims of trafficking in England and Wales.
• Interpol website: trafficking in human beings Interpol is an international police oganisation.

Other resources

Setting the record: the trafficking of migrant women in the England and Wales off-street prostitution sector  A report by the Association of Chief Police Offices [ACPO] – August 2010. Available from www.acpo.police.uk/ProfessionalPractice/Crime.aspx 

SOLACE - Human trafficking report March 2009: the role of local authorities in addressing human trafficking  Available from www.solace.org.uk/library.asp?library_id={76EEE4E4-2685-4188-8E0D-6C02512E35EA}  

Suah: the story of a trafficked child  An illustrated children’s story book aimed at five to nine year olds. Available to purchase from WISE. Cheques for £10 [made payable to the University of Hull] should be sent to:

WISE
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