Thursday, 24 November 2011
A new crackdown on human trafficking in Northern Ireland by the PSNI is targeting those who pay for sex.
Men and women arrive in the region, often from the Middle East,
expecting a better life but instead they are subjected to the modern day
slavery of prostitution.
"They are slaves," said Women's Aid worker Maire Brown.
Child trafficking expert and former Chief Superintendent Jim Gamble said there is a market for human trafficking in Northern Ireland.
"Without people going out and paying for sex, then there would be no business in bringing women here by force, coercing them to stay and making them have sex with men for money," he said.
"A trafficking victim will walk past you in the street and you won't know they're trafficked. Very often they won't understand that they are a victim of this crime themselves, because maybe their mum or dad facilitated their movement from their country of origin."
"A lot of people in Northern Ireland can't believe that this is going on at our doorstep. Five years ago, we had no reported incidents of this whatsoever, it's only in the last two to three years that it has built up."
He explained police are currently investigating six or seven cases of human trafficking in the region, and he said a new piece of legislation is helping police to crack down on the problem.
"Where we enter a brothel and find men who have bought sex, there are individuals who have been trafficked.
"We will arrest those men and report them for prosecution. Where we have ongoing investigations we will do all we can to identify men who have used exploited women for the purposed of sex," he said.
It is estimated that at any time there are 60 operating across Northern Ireland but Barbara Muldoon, who helps trafficking victims, said it all happens behind closed doors under the control of fear.
"These are very vulnerable people who have been through a very traumatic time. They often have shadowy individuals in the background who are saying that their families in the country of origin will be in danger.
"Some of them are actually with families and there are threats made to those members of the family and the individuals themselves."
© UTV News
"They are slaves," said Women's Aid worker Maire Brown.
Over the past two and a half years, 61 people trafficked people have been recovered in the region; many of these were women and one third were Chinese.Obviously if they are being brought here there is a market and there are people who are buying women in Northern Ireland.Maire Brown, Foyle Women's Aid
Child trafficking expert and former Chief Superintendent Jim Gamble said there is a market for human trafficking in Northern Ireland.
"Without people going out and paying for sex, then there would be no business in bringing women here by force, coercing them to stay and making them have sex with men for money," he said.
"A trafficking victim will walk past you in the street and you won't know they're trafficked. Very often they won't understand that they are a victim of this crime themselves, because maybe their mum or dad facilitated their movement from their country of origin."
Assistant Chief Constable Drew Harris said foreign crime gangs are targeting Northern Ireland to make money from the multi-million pound industry.They've come from hard circumstances, hoping for a better life and they don't realise that things aren't supposed to be this way. They're not supposed to live in crowded, unclean conditions. They're not supposed to prostitute themselves for the privilege of being here.Jim Gamble
"A lot of people in Northern Ireland can't believe that this is going on at our doorstep. Five years ago, we had no reported incidents of this whatsoever, it's only in the last two to three years that it has built up."
He explained police are currently investigating six or seven cases of human trafficking in the region, and he said a new piece of legislation is helping police to crack down on the problem.
"Where we enter a brothel and find men who have bought sex, there are individuals who have been trafficked.
"We will arrest those men and report them for prosecution. Where we have ongoing investigations we will do all we can to identify men who have used exploited women for the purposed of sex," he said.
It is estimated that at any time there are 60 operating across Northern Ireland but Barbara Muldoon, who helps trafficking victims, said it all happens behind closed doors under the control of fear.
"Sexual exploitation is a very traumatic and sensitive area for the victims," she added.It's a very shadowy world, it's happening all the time. Victims are told if they come to the attention of police or immigration authorities they're likely to be in trouble and deported from the country.Barbara Muldoon
"These are very vulnerable people who have been through a very traumatic time. They often have shadowy individuals in the background who are saying that their families in the country of origin will be in danger.
"Some of them are actually with families and there are threats made to those members of the family and the individuals themselves."
© UTV News
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