gmb45
14th May, 2009, 06:22 AM
MPs Warn Of New 'Slave Trade' In Britain
A group of MPs have warned the amount of human trafficking into Britain amounts to a resurgence of the "slave trade".
Prostitution
Most of the trafficking victims end up in the sex trade say the MPs
The Home Affairs Committee said there are at least 5,000 victims, mostly women and children, living in this country.
Most are made to work in the sex trade, or forced to beg.
The committee warns around 60% of trafficked children held in local council homes go missing and are never found.
Some homes are used by traffickers as "holding pens" for their victims until they are ready to pick them up.
Despite the scale of the problem there are only 35 places for victims in safe houses.
The report also highlights "major gaps" in awareness and training among staff at the UK Border Agency.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz said the authorities lacked an understanding of the problem.
"What we are seeing is in effect a resurgence of a type of slave trade," he said.
"(But) we have no good information on the scale of the problem, enforcement is patchy, prosecution rates are low and there is little protection for victims."
A group of MPs have warned the amount of human trafficking into Britain amounts to a resurgence of the "slave trade".
Prostitution
Most of the trafficking victims end up in the sex trade say the MPs
The Home Affairs Committee said there are at least 5,000 victims, mostly women and children, living in this country.
Most are made to work in the sex trade, or forced to beg.
The committee warns around 60% of trafficked children held in local council homes go missing and are never found.
Some homes are used by traffickers as "holding pens" for their victims until they are ready to pick them up.
Despite the scale of the problem there are only 35 places for victims in safe houses.
The report also highlights "major gaps" in awareness and training among staff at the UK Border Agency.
Committee chairman Keith Vaz said the authorities lacked an understanding of the problem.
"What we are seeing is in effect a resurgence of a type of slave trade," he said.
"(But) we have no good information on the scale of the problem, enforcement is patchy, prosecution rates are low and there is little protection for victims."