
I call upon the government to do more to end the appalling trade in human trafficking and provide more support to its victims by;-
1. Britain and all other Council of Europe members to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and to consider further measures aimed at improved transnational cooperation.
2. The UK Government and European Commission should provide assistance to future EU candidate countries to ensure they have anti-trafficking policies that respect human rights and reach the standards set by the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings.
3. A network of safe havens to be set up across Britain and the rest of Europe, which will treat trafficked people as victims, providing medical care, counselling and legal aid, in particular the possibility of helping to prosecute traffickers.
4. The UK and other EU member states to comply with Council Directive 2004/81/EC on residence permits for victims of trafficking and for coordinated schemes to assist victims who want to go back to their home country.
5. The British Government, other EU member states and the European Commission to launch awareness campaigns targeted at potential victims, warning of the dangers, with advice on their rights and obligations and where to get help.
6. A public awareness campaign to encourage people to report suspected cases of victims of slavery, emphasising that people who traffic and/or use and abuse the victims of trafficking will be prosecuted
7. Strengthening the role of units such as the Paladin Team (the only unit of its kind in the country dealing exclusively with child trafficking) to expand its operations, coordinate efforts and share intelligence.6. Support for campaigns such as Business Travellers Against Trafficking, which aims to improve reporting of trafficking-related crime.
8. Police forces around Britain to follow the lead of the West Midlands and Metropolitan Police in mounting major intelligence-led operations to liberate victims forced into prostitution in ‘brothel prisons’ and to arrest the criminals responsible.
9. Employers, trade unions and councils to be encouraged to work together in uncovering and supporting the victims of trafficking, with multi-agency monitoring of vulnerable employment sectors.