Tuesday, 21 September 2010
[Trafficking Monitor: Click on image to play video]
The Ulster Unionist Party's David McNarry is calling for a group to be set up to address the issue which has been in the headlines recently, after a series of raids on suspected brothels in Belfast.
"This is dirty, real dirty stuff and it is happening in our own backyard," the Strangford MLA told UTV.
"The victims, they don't understand English. They've come here, they're shocked. They're raped, they're beaten up. They are just put out to a farm obviously.
"The worst thing about it is that there are people here who are looking for that service - those people would need to look at themselves."
Mr McNarry, who sits on the Assembly's Justice Committee, led a motion at Stormont on Tuesday urging MLAs to ensure more is done to combat what his party branded "modern-day slavery".
Describing human trafficking - in which people are brought into the country illegally and often forced into the sex trade - as a lucrative trade for gangs, Mr McNarry said: "This is big business for them - it can beover £2m a year earned from trafficking, from the prostitution that's a by-product of it.
"We really need to destroy that."
He added: "This is quite rampant and, unless it's stopped, we're going to have more vulnerable people dragged into this.
"It's all part of a society that's growing up in Northern Ireland which we should be alert to. It's criminal activity getting involved in the worst of things."
During the Stormont debate on the issue, Sinn Féin's Billy Leonard called for tougher action, not only against those directly responsible for trafficking, but against all those who benefit from it.
Urging more co-operation between the PSNI and Gardaí, Immigration Services and the Health and Justice Departments, Mr Leonard said: "There needs to be a co-ordinated approach across the island if we are to successfully halt this form of human slavery.
"Policing is key to resolving the problem and there needs to be a harsher approach against those who not only exploit these unfortunate people for financial gain, but also those who use the people for sexual gratification."
The Alliance Party's Anna Lo stressed the importance of working with the Republic of Ireland, given Northern Ireland's possible function as a transit route to the UK for traffickers. She also called for co-operation with countries of origin for trafficking victims.
"We need to see awareness raising in these countries with publicity, leaflets, and media coverage," the Alliance MLA said.
"Governments must crack down on bogus advertisements which lure people to fall into the trap. We need globally to get tough on those criminals making money out of human misery.
"We need more understanding of the issue here too. Human trafficking is not just for sexual exploitation - it includes domestic servitude as well as forced labour. It involves women, men and children."
Earlier this month, police raided 16 properties across the UK as part of a massive police operation to crack down on human trafficking.
Seven suspected brothels with addresses in Belfast were searched. Fifteen victims, including three men, were rescued.
© UTV News
UTV News - NI should tackle 'modern-day slavery'
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