HOME OFFICE News
Release (056/2009) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 1
April 2009
Victims of human
trafficking will receive better protection and support under new
measures coming into force in the UK today.
The Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human
Beings, which takes effect today, creates minimum legal rights for
victims and strengthens the UK's ability to catch the
criminals that exploit victims of trafficking.
This milestone follows the government's moves to double
funding for the UK Human Trafficking Centre to £1.7million since 2006/7.
It underlines the government's long-term commitment to
tackling this horrific crime and building on the UK's
existing efforts to identify and support victims of trafficking
and investigate and prosecute traffickers. Adopting the Convention
means those measures will become even more robust and consistent.
Key new measures include:
* a National Referral Mechanism, providing a nationally agreed
framework to help frontline staff identify victims of trafficking
and offer them support;
* £4m over 2 years to enhance the services for victims including
an expansion of accommodation and support through the criminal
justice system- resulting in more traffickers being brought to
justice; and
* granting a 45 day minimum reflection and recovery period to
victims and the possibility of a one-year renewable residence permit.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Human trafficking is one of the most horrendous crimes
threatening our society. Those who are responsible for this modern
form of slavery are profiting from human misery and suffering.
"We have reached a major milestone today in the fight
against trafficking by implementing measures that help us build on
our existing efforts to turn the tables on traffickers and provide
victims with protection, support and a voice in the criminal
justice system.
"It is vital that European member states work together to
stop this awful crime and I am determined that the UK will
continue to play its part by supporting victims and bringing the
perpetrators to justice."
The UK ratified the Convention in December 2008, reaching a major
target in the UK Trafficking Action Plan.
The new procedures brought in under the Convention have been
tested in several police-led operations. They include Operation
Pentameter 2 in 2007/8, which recovered 167 victims from 833
premises and made 522 arrests. Over £500,000 was seized and in
excess of £3m assets held under restraint.
The government will build on its achievements so far by doubling
funding for the UK Human Trafficking Centre to £1.7million since
2006/7. The UKHTC plays a central role in the fight against
trafficking by co-ordinating the law enforcement response, acting
as the UK's central point for intelligence on human
trafficking and housing one of the competent authorities that
decide who qualifies as a victim.
The government also announced last month a further £3.7 million
over the next two years for the Poppy project to help vulnerable
victims of human trafficking. Managed by Eaves Housing for Women,
the Poppy project has provided refuge to over 400 hundreds of
victims of human trafficking since 2003
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Human
Trafficking can be viewed online at http://www.coe.int/t/DG2/TRAFFICKING/campaign/default_en.asp.
Details of the UK's implementation of the Convention can be
viewed at
http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/humantrafficking005.htm
2. The UK Human Trafficking Action Plan can be viewed online at
http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/humantrafficking004.htm
3. The UK is one of 20 Council of Europe members that have
ratified the convention. It was formalised when Eleanor Fuller,
the UK's permanent representative to the Council of Europe,
deposited an instrument of ratification with the Secretary General
Terry Davies in Strasbourg on 17 December 2008, confirming the
convention would become binding in the UK on 1 April 2009. A full
list of member states that have ratified the convention is
available at http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/trafficking/default_en.asp
4. In preparation for the implementation of the Convention in
the UK, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) in
conjunction with the UKHTC has developed a series of training
modules to be included on mainstream police training courses. The
UK Border Agency has also conducted a programme of
awareness-raising for staff to prepare for the start of the new measures.
5. Recent operations Tolerance and Ruby, targeted at trafficking
for labour exploitation, have helped to improve understanding of
this previously less known form of trafficking and to strengthen
skills for front line staff.
6. To date there have been 103 convictions for trafficking for
the purpose of sexual exploitation under the Sexual Offences Act
and six convictions for trafficking for labour exploitation.