Human Trafficking: UK vs. Global Trends and Prevention Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive overview of human trafficking, examining its prevalence in the UK and comparing it to global trends. It delves into the root causes of trafficking, including poverty, lack of opportunities, and the exploitation of vulnerable populations for forced labor and sexual exploitation. The report highlights the vulnerability of individuals in small towns and those migrating to the UK, as well as the role of flexible visa laws and transportation methods in facilitating trafficking. It analyzes the UK's efforts to combat human trafficking, including the National Referral Mechanism, criminal compensation schemes, and legislative measures. Furthermore, the report contrasts the situations in countries like Algeria, Venezuela, Sudan, Belarus, Russia, and Syria, highlighting the varying degrees of government response and the impact of factors like corruption, civil unrest, and economic instability. It emphasizes the involvement of international organizations and the need for multi-agency frameworks to protect victims and combat this multi-billion dollar enterprise. The report concludes by summarizing the key findings and emphasizing the ongoing need for stricter regulations and international cooperation to eradicate human trafficking.

TRAFFICKING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Human trafficking is the serious issue as now-a-days, globalization and mobility have
changed scenario of market. This has increased criminal activities in country and human
trafficking is one of the serious multi faced problems among these issues (Weitzer, 2015). There
are many regions where human trafficking is increasing at a rapid speed. Sexual slavery and
forced labours are the main reasons of this criminal activity. Present study will discuss about the
way people trafficking is witnessed in the UK as compared to elsewhere across world.
MAIN BODY
There are many people those who live in the small towns where they do not have
sufficient income sources to live their life happily (Greene and Alys, 2016). Human trafficking is
the serious crime and it is considered as violation of human rights of individuals. Statistical
records show that every year, millions of men and women as well as children fall in the hands of
traffickers. These people take them to the other nations. This is the trade of human beings; main
agenda of traffickers are forced labour, sexual exploitation, etc. This is the hidden crime because
victims who are being exploited rarely come forward because of fear (Weitzer, 2014). Persons
who live in the small location and have no money for their livelihood, they easily believe on
these traffickers and go with them with the intention to get job.
But later on many criminals misuse these human beings for fulfilling their monitory or
sexual requirements. Child labour is the most common cause of it, there are many countries
where below 18 years children are working. They are being transported in abroad illegally and
they are forced to work under them at cheaper wage rate. Apart from this, many girls those who
belong from poor families they are trafficked in other countries for marriage purposes
(Ryazantsev and et.al, 2015). This is the serious offence and many people are generating a billion
of dollars of profit per year by engaging in this human trafficking criminal activity. Though
government has made strict regulations and have made tough punishment but still this offence
has not been controlled properly. The large number of people recently have been referred to
National Referral mechanism (NRM). There are almost 1400 victims and these all are sexual
exploitation, domestic servitude cases (Goodhart, 2016).
United Kingdom is the country where many people are trafficked from Africa, Asia, and
Eastern Europe. They are forced to work in companies at below wages rates, sometimes, girls are
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being forced to marriage with unmatched persons (Campana and Varese, 2016). Department of
state of US has given United Kingdom rank “Tier 1” Tier 1 countries are those nations where
government has minimum standards for eliminating this serious crime. Federal statue of US
TVPA has explained that UK is the region where many minor people have been trafficked within
the country as well (Dando, Walsh and Brierley, 2016). That means this is the place where
human trafficking is the serious multi faced problem, people are not being trafficked from
outside countries but also trafficked within the region as well. Population of the small town,
villages are not safe. Sometimes, poor people are being misguide by the criminals and given
false commitment to get job or money. But when they believe their words then these persons are
being traded to other nations (Wan Ismail, Raja Ariffin and Cheong, 2017).
Many people those who are migrants to UK, they are traded in agriculture, construction
and food service industries. The source country from where these people are transported in UK
are Lithuania, Russia, Malaysia, Thailand etc. United Kingdom is the nation where it has become
the serious issue. In the year 2009 government has hired 55 police force in UK for investigating
cases of human trafficking (Scullion, 2015). But in six month investigation they fail to find a
single case of human trafficking. In the year 2012 many people those who were trading the
people were arrested. Visa laws of UK are flexible and small airports has less security
surveillance. Thus, these victims arrive into the country from these transportation mediums.
Apart from this train, bus, car are another medium of transportation of human being in UK. In
the year 2007 British government has introduced Pentameter 2 (Collyer, 2016). It is the large
scale operation which was introduced with the aim to rescue victims. For that government of UK
has start aware people and has developed intelligence so that they can control over this criminal
activity and can eliminate it from the region.
Many of the respondents have acknowledged that UK has made right efforts for tackling
this issue of trafficking but still government has to do more in order to eliminate this crime.
ECPAT UK, recent report show that minimizing child trafficking is the first priority of the
government. For that they will develop multi agency framework and protocols so that they can
make contact with child victims and gain information about the group those who are engaged in
these activities (Chimienti and Solomos, 2016). Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar
enterprise. As per the report of US state department there are 23 countries that have been
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classified as Tier 3. It means that these nations do not meet the criteria of trafficking victim
protection act. They do not make significant efforts in order to minimize this crime from region.
Government of UK has developed system of national Referral Mechanism for protecting
human right and protecting these people (Jennings and et.al, 2016). Authorities refer to victim to
the NRM within 48 hours of contacting with the person. These authorities provide them safer
environment and try to find out information about the criminals from victims. UK government
has made Criminal injuries' compensation scheme 2009 for such people those who are the victim
of trafficking (Hynes, 2015). This program provide them compensation for their injuries.
Individual has to report to the Criminal injuries' compensation authority (CICA). And they have
to report for their harm or violence. They share their detail regarding the crime and their
experience. In the year 2017 approx. 5145 people have been identified the victim of human
trafficking in the United Kingdom. This figure is 35% more as compare to previous year. It has
been identified that 51% victims are women and 48% are men (Baarda, 2016). In 2015, approx.
3266 adults and child have been found those who have suffered from human trafficking. 1183
cases were of labour exploitation.
Statistical records show that 21 million men and women are victim of human trafficking
worldwide. Apart from this, 4.5 million victims have been trafficked for the sexual exploitation.
International Labour organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human
trafficking across the world (Stevens and Berishaj, 2016). 81% of them are being trapped and
have been forced for labour. Algeria is the largest nation in Africa. It has high rate of human
trafficking. This is unsafe country, it is easy for the human being to enter into the nation and take
boat for the Europe. By this way criminals those who are involved in this criminal activity can
easily trafficked the human being from one place to other. Trafficker kidnap these people and
victims have to pay them money through stolen or being sex workers. Once they pay money to
them they get them to Europe (Alldred and Biglia, 2015). Though Algeria has refused to accept
that it has this serious problem of human trafficking but still department of Justices has ranked
the nation Tier 2 or 3 because it does not take care of population and cannot protect people from
trafficking. Tier 2 title has given in the year 2004. Till 2015 this issues was the major problem in
the country but later on government of Algeria has made action plan to deal with human
trafficking (Servin and et.al, 2015).
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Venezuela has been ranked as Tier 2 country. Statistical records show that 55% adults are
being trafficked and 26% young girls are involved in this criminal activity. Traffickers promise
them to give high wages and with this promise they travel with them in the Caribbean cities. But
they forced to involve in sex working industry or work as domestic servitude. Sudan and South
Sudan are another places (10 Worst Countries for Human Trafficking, 2017). It is the middle
income country where people do not have sufficient job opportunities. This nation export oil to
other regions. But due to increasing corruption now south Sudan has become the 16th poorest
country in the world. Though government has made initiatives to improve its condition but now
it is in the 52nd list of poor countries. Both these regions are suffering from severe human
trafficking problems (Wan Ismail, Raja Ariffin and Cheong, 2017). People are brought in Sudan
from other regions such as Uganda, Kenya and Eritrea with the promise to give job opportunities
and sources to earn income. Sudan is the nation which is popular for the child trafficking. Most
of the victim that have been identified are child.
Belarus is located in Eastern Europe. This nation has controlled over the problem of
human trafficking. Number of cases of this crime are too high. Government of Belarus has
announced that people those who do not have jobs they have to work for the government as
social workers (Greene and Alys, 2016). But they will not pay by the authorities. Authorities
have announced that school and university students are required to work on farms without pay.
This forceful labour exploitation without pay demotivate people thus, most of the persons are
leaving their job. Thus, population of the nation is getting decreasing which has increased crime
rate of human trafficking. Now from other nations traffickers bring people in the Belarus to work
forcefully (10 Worst Countries for Human Trafficking, 2017).
Russia is the biggest country where approx population is 140 million. It is in the G8
country but it is ranked as Tier 3 country from the perspective of human trafficking. It is fact that
approx 5 to 12 million migrants are working in Russia and they are victims. One of the main
reason of high rate of human trafficking in Russia is increasing corruption rate. This is recorded
in the new papers that Russian officials give permission to the migrants to enter into the nation
and then exploitation occur with them (Servin and et.al, 2015). Government official get bribes
for the same.
Syria has the worst condition in respect of trafficking of people. People live in danger
like civil war. It is the destination nation, after civil war terrorist group enter into the region
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which was known as Islamic State of Iraq Syria (ISIS). This group was spreading criminal
activities in the country (Alldred and Biglia, 2015). At that time women and children were
trafficked in high number from one place to the Syria. Furthermore, Libya is the oil rich country,
it is the magnet country for human traffickers.
Government of UK has taken initiatives in order to eliminate human trafficking crime
from the nation (10 Worst Countries for Human Trafficking, 2017). Immoral Traffic (Prevention)
Act 1956 (ITPA) has been introduced. This legislation prevent people those who are victim of
commercial sexual exploitation. Apart from this, Criminal law Act 2013 has been made. Section
370 of this legislation deals with child trafficking and children exploitation. Protection of
Children from sexual offences (POCSO) 2012 is for the protection of people those who are
facing sexual abuse. Government agencies and non-governmental organizations are working for
the welfare of these people. Africa is the nation where ESAM (Enfants solidaires d' Afrique et du
Monde) is working (Ryazantsev and et.al, 2015). This body has been forced to protect people
those who are facing abuse. Economic community of West African state (ECOWAS) has taken
initiative in this respect in order to eliminate trafficking from Africa.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that human trafficking is the serious issue
which is increasing in many countries with the rapid speed. UK is the tier 3 country but still
every year many cases of these crimes are recorded. UK government has taken initiatives and
have made effective laws in order to eliminate the crime rate of human trafficking. Now
government send victims to the concern authorities those which can take care of these people.
Human trafficking rate is very high in Africa, Belarus as compare to UK.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Baarda, C. S., 2016. Human trafficking for sexual exploitation from Nigeria into Western
Europe: The role of voodoo rituals in the functioning of a criminal network. European
Journal of Criminology. 13(2). pp.257-273.
Campana, P. and Varese, F., 2016. Exploitation in human trafficking and smuggling. European
Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. 22(1). pp.89-105.
Chimienti, M. and Solomos, J., 2016. How do international human rights influence national
healthcare provisions for irregular migrants?: A case study in France and the United
Kingdom. Journal of Human Rights. 15(2). pp.208-228.
Collyer, M., 2016. Geopolitics as a migration governance strategy: European Union bilateral
relations with Southern Mediterranean countries. Journal of Ethnic and Migration
Studies. 42(4). pp.606-624.
Dando, C. J., Walsh, D. and Brierley, R., 2016. Perceptions of psychological coercion and
human trafficking in the West Midlands of
Goodhart, M., 2016. Human rights: politics and practice. Oxford university press.
Greene, K. S. and Alys, L., 2016. Introduction. In Missing Persons (pp. 21-26). Routledge.
Hynes, P., 2015. No ‘magic bullets’: Children, young people, trafficking and child protection in
the UK. International Migration. 53(4). pp.62-76.
Jennings, S. and et.al., 2016. Aquatic food security: insights into challenges and solutions from
an analysis of interactions between fisheries, aquaculture, food safety, human health, fish
and human welfare, economy and environment. Fish and Fisheries. 17(4). pp.893-938.
Ryazantsev, S. V. and et.al., 2015. Actual problems of human trafficking and illegal migration in
the Russian federation. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. 6(3 S1). pp.621.
Scullion, D., 2015. Assessing the extent of human trafficking: Inherent difficulties and gradual
progress. Social Inclusion. 3(1).
Servin, A. E. and et.al., 2015. Vulnerability factors and pathways leading to underage entry into
sex work in two Mexican-US border cities. The journal of applied research on children:
informing policy for children at risk. 6(1).
Stevens, M. and Berishaj, K., 2016. The anatomy of human trafficking: Learning about the blues:
A healthcare provider's guide. Journal of forensic nursing. 12(2). pp.49-56.
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Wan Ismail, W. N. I., Raja Ariffin, R. N. and Cheong, K. C., 2017. Human Trafficking in
Malaysia: Bureaucratic Challenges in Policy Implementation. Administration & Society.
49(2). pp.212-231.
Weitzer, R., 2014. New directions in research on human trafficking. The annals of the american
academy of political and social science. 653(1). pp.6-24.
Weitzer, R., 2015. Human trafficking and contemporary slavery. Annual review of sociology. 41.
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Online
10 Worst Countries for Human Trafficking. 2017. [Online]. Available through
<http://www.toptenz.net/10-worst-countries-human-trafficking.php>.
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