MIGRATION, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION in the UK

“Quick guide: UK Human Trafficking” – bbc.co.uk, Monday, 2 October 2006 10:33 UK

What is Human Trafficking?

“Human trafficking is the movement of people by means such as force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them.”

UN describes trafficking as a form of "slavery". (It knows of victims from 127 countries and of their exploitation in 137. Major destinations for victims include wealthy countries in Western Europe, North America, and the Middle East.)

UK Situation“UK is a major destination for trafficked

women. .. brought in to the country and forced to work as prostitutes.”

“Many trafficking victims in the UK are from Eastern European countries including Lithuania, Russia, Albania and Ukraine. Others are from the Far East, South America and Africa.”

Often, women are lured by adverts in their home countries for jobs such as restaurant staff, maids and child minders

Prostitution in United Kingdom

“In the UK, prostitution itself is not illegal but there are a number of offences linked to it. For example it is an offence to control a prostitute for gain, or to keep a brothel.”

“Prostitution is sometimes referred to as 'the oldest profession', as it meets the natural urges of humans in return for money, and is often claimed to be as old as civilization itself.” (politics.co.uk)

“Slave adverts”Minister for Women Harriet Harman

discussed banning adverts for escort services with the Newspaper Society.

She said, "The Newspaper Society and us need to sit down together and discuss whether this is acceptable in local newspapers, that girls are for sale.”

She added: "You see 'girls for sale - girls from Europe, from Africa, from Thailand, fresh girls every week, 18 to 25'. What sort of message does this send in the 21st century? We do know that there is a big problem of people trafficking.“ bbc.co.uk,  Monday, 29 October 2007, 10:14

Teenage Prostitution

“NUS: Students turning to prostitution to fund studies” - By Kieran Turner and Owen Phillips

(bbc.co.uk, 14 December 2011)

NUS: Students turning to prostitution to fund studies Estelle Hart, the NUS's national

women's officer, said government cuts had put more pressure on students.

"Students are taking more dangerous measures, In an economic climate where there are very few jobs, where student support has been massively cut, people are taking more work in the informal economy, such as sex work. It's all dangerous unregulated work, simply so people can stay in education."

Financial SupportA spokesman for the

Department for Education said: "We are targeting £180m a year financial support at the most vulnerable 16- to 19-year-olds to help them continue their studies - with transitional funding for the students who were getting the top rate of EMA and part way through their studies.”

MASSIVE THANKS!