Tories demand more action to combat people trafficking
Hlne Mulholland
Thursday November 30, 2006
Guardian Unlimited
William Hague today called for stronger measures to protect victims of modern-day slavery in Britain as he warned that the trafficking of women and children for the sex industry was worsening.
The Tory shadow foreign secretary called for greater protection of victims but stopped short of calling on the government to sign up to a convention that would allow women and children rescued from captivity a leave of stay in the UK.
The convention provides trafficking victims with a 30-day reflection period, which the government has so far resisted on the grounds that it could be abused by bogus asylum claimants.
Mr Hague told today's Conservative women's annual conference that Britain was far from immune from the problem of human trafficking.
“It is a worldwide trail of cruelty that has led right to our doorstep with instances documented in our cities, rural towns and quiet suburbs and can no longer be ignored,” he said.
But despite highlighting a number of measures to tackle both the supply and demand sides in the sex industry, Mr Hague pulled back from calling on the government to sign the Council of Europe's convention on action against the trafficking in human beings.
Human rights campaigners and women's group have called in vain for the government to act.
Mr Hague confirmed that the Conservatives were also undecided about whether signing up was “the right choice”.
The government was developing a national action plan on trafficking before making up its mind, and the Conservatives were waiting to hear the outcome, he said.
“We would like to see their assumptions and the basis of their eventual pronouncement so we too can assess whether this is the right choice.”
Mr Hague highlighted the endemic problem of people trafficking sweeping the globe, with between 600,000 and 800,000 people trafficked each year.
In Britain, a recent three-month police campaign to tackle trafficking for sexual exploitation rescued 84 women who had been forced to work against their will in brothels and massage parlours, Mr Hague told delegates.
He recounted the tale of a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl called Eleina, who had been sold seven times in just three months after arriving to Britain on a false promise of a summer job selling ice-creams.
“The problem in the UK shows signs of actually worsening,” he said.
Mr Hague's proposals include measures such as more information to warn potential victims against being lured to other countries on false pretences, and encouraging business to adopt fair trade practices which prohibit the use of slave labour of any kind.
Mr Hague also pointed to a scheme in Australia, whereby men who use sex workers are given information to spot women who are working in the industry against their will, Mr Hague added.
Greater transnational cooperation between governments and police forces and the sharing of expertise was vital, he added.
Today's conference launched a campaign encouraging concerned bystanders to report victims to the Crimestoppers helpline in the absence of a dedicated phone helpline for women and children from overseas trapped in “modern day slavery”.
Mr Hague highlighted other forms of human rights violations affecting women and children across the globe, from the use of rape as “a weapon of war” to the sexual exploitation of women by UN peacekeepers.
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New limits planned on access to skilled jobs
Riot squad fights to regain control of immigration detention centre
Tories demand more action to combat people trafficking
Fires cause disturbance at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre
Reid launches independent committee to advise on immigration
Immigration removal centre like a high security prison, says inspector
Home Office to clamp down on teenage asylum seekers
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In this section
Melanie McFadyean: We treat asylum seekers as the lowest of the low
New limits planned on access to skilled jobs
Riot squad fights to regain control of immigration detention centre
Tories demand more action to combat people trafficking
Fires cause disturbance at Harmondsworth immigration detention centre
Reid launches independent committee to advise on immigration
Immigration removal centre like a high security prison, says inspector
Home Office to clamp down on teenage asylum seekers
False starts and fresh beginnings
Schools urged to take advantage of refugee teacher skills
Failed asylum seekers' expulsions down 25%
Reid shifts 440 police officers to target illegal immigrants
510,000 east Europeans registered to work in UK
Yana Buhrer Tavanier: Bulgarians will not flood UK
Reid unveils new plans to tackle illegal immigration
