On the 20th June 2003, we hosted a conference at London's City Hall on the Trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation in London.
The trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation is a high-profit, low-risk trade dominated by organised criminals. It results in women and children being exploited in slavery-like conditions in the UK's - but chiefly London's - sex industry, for the use and abuse of British men.
This conference was open to individuals and groups who believe we should work together to stamp out this slavery. It was an opportunity for those who work in this area to share their experiences: European experts, NGOs, police officers, immigration officers, women's and children's campaign groups and organizations. We also welcomed the views of elected leaders, sex-workers' support groups, health and welfare officers.
Speakers included:
·
Patsy Sorensen MEP, the European Parliament's
specialist in EU Human Trafficking policy;
· Assistant
Commissioner Tarique Gahffur, UK's Metropolitan Police Service;
·
Rob Coster, Dutch Police Department's National
Co-ordinator on prostitution and trafficking;
· Denise
Marshall, Director, EAVES Housing for Trafficked Women;
·
Carron Somerset, ECPAT (Trafficking of Children)
UK;
· Anni Marjoram, The Mayor's
women Advisor and the Immigration Service.
The Government's Sex Offences Bill will be introducing more comprehensive offences of trafficking for sexual exploitation. We were concerned to ask those working on the ground whether the proposed measures are enough to tackle this problem - will they work? The conference established three working groups to consider these questions:
·
Does the Government's approach consider the gross violation of human rights that
is occurring?
· Do the proposals meet the standards of best practice
in the European Union?
· Do they offer appropriate support to victims
and how will London be addressing the issue?
· What could be improved?
The conference working groups have produced a series of robust recommendations for the UK Government which we enclose now for action. A list of attendees at the conference are included with the recommendations.
9.45 | Introduction from hosts |
Session 1: Policy makers and implementors | |
10.00 | Patsy
Sorensen MEP |
10.30 | Rob
Coster |
11.00 | Asst
Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur MPS |
11.20 | Home Office representative |
Session 2: The Victims and Victim suppport | |
12.00 | Denise
Marhsall |
12.30 | Carron
Somerset, ECPAT UK |
Session 3: Recommendations to Government/ Towards a London Strategy | |
14.30 | Discussion Workshops |
Session 4: Conference Recommendations and London's Plan | |
15.45 | Feedback workshop recommendations |
16.30 | Ani Marjoram |
17.00 | Close |
View conference recommendations web page
Download the conference recommendations (pdf format)
Patsy is an international expert on trafficking issues and has worked with victims for years through a project based in Antwerp. She has gone undercover in to some of the countries of origin to trace the trafficking gangs and her life has been under threat on many occasions. She works closely with police forces in many parts of the world to help up break up trafficking rings. As a member of the Committee on Citizen's Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, she was given the report on the Commission's proposal on short-term residence permits for victims of trafficking. Patsy's report was accepted by Parliament this year and has caused much debate within the European Council.
Rob is the chief superintendent of the Dutch Police Force and has worked for almost 30 years at the force, most of the time in the Organised Crime Units. Since 1998 he has been involved in the law enforcement unit on trafficking in human beings and in Jan 01 he became the National Coordinator on Prostitution and Trafficking in human beings for the Dutch police.
Denise has approximately 20
years experience of working within the voluntary sector in London. Denise has
worked within women's organisations, including Women's Aid and has experience
of working with young lesbians and gay men and ex-offenders.
Eaves Housing
For Women undertook a service review in March 2001 which identified a gap in service
provision for trafficked women. In December 2001 Eaves accepted it's first trafficked
woman. Since this time and prior to the Pilot Project Eaves accepted another 5
trafficked women which have been financially supported by donations and Eaves
reservces.
With a background in
development issues, Carron Somerset worked for Anti-Slavery International, as
a volunteer on their Africa and Women's desk for 6 months, prior to joining ECPAT
UK. For the past 3 ½ years at ECPAT UK, Carron has worked on a range of
issues including the Register of Sex Offenders, and child sex tourism. Carron
first became involved in the issue of trafficking whilst researching the document
'What the Professionals Know: The Trafficking of Children into and through the
UK for Sexual Purposes', which was produced in 2001. Since then Carron has continued
to research the issue and is currently updating the first report in a joint European
project with includes ECPAT UK working with an Albanian organisation. Additionally,
Carron is researching the issue of trafficking in children in relation to London
based social services and aims to produce a report to later this year.
Download the following presentations (in powerpoint)
Patsy Sorensen MEP - presentation on international trafficking rings and EU response
Rob Coster - Dutch solution to human trafficking
The conference was widely advertised and attended by many individuals and organisations. The latter included:
AFRUCA
AGLOW
Akina Mama Wa
Afrika
Amnesty International, Hillingdon
Group
Anti Slavery International
Ashiana
Project
Black Women & Europe Network
Change
CHASTE
Children Asylum
Team
Czech Embassy
Ealing Women's Aid
ECPAT UK
Embassy of Albania
Embassy
of Bosnia
Embassy of Georgia
FCO
FORWARD
London Assembly
Green
Party England and Wales
Hillingdon Social Services
Barnados
Lambeth Green
Party
League of Jewish Women
London Probation
Metropolitan Police Authority
Middlesex
University
MSNBC
Philosophy Programme Senate
House
POPPY project management
Refugee
Action
Refugee Council
Researchers in contemporary
slavery Goldsmiths
College
RWRP Asylum Aid
Street Matters NSPCC
The Bail Circle
The Children's
Society
Unicef UK
Women's Aid
Women's Design Service
YWCA