Is trafficking actually happening in Wales - Part 2

Further to my recent post about the issues of whether trafficking is actually happening in Wales, I thought I’d share a link with you to an eye-opening report by ECPAT UK (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) which is a leading UK children’s rights organisation that campaigns to protect children from commercial sexual exploitation. This report, published in 2007, looks specifically at the situation of the trafficking of children in Wales. While the report is now fairly old, it certainly helps us to better understand that trafficking is an issue for us here in Wales. Here is how the report concludes:

“This small scale-study considered whether there is an evidence base for child trafficking in Wales. Evidence was found of confirmed and suspected cases of child trafficking encountered by social services, the voluntary sector and the police. Data was gathered from 41 practitioners who described 32 cases that caused them concern. These cases involve children aged three and a half years and upwards, from a variety of countries of origin. Notably, more boys than girls were identified during this study. Children were described in situations of sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, cannabis production, street crime and forced labour.“