Stamping out Human Trafficking in Reading

Back in October I attended a Conference organised by Lib Dem MEP for our area, Catherine Bearder, on the subject of human trafficking.

It included some truly shocking presentations about trafficking and the impact it is having on children and adults from countries around the world.

Before I attended the conference I'm happy to admit I did not have a good understanding of the issue of human trafficking nor the fact that it could be a serious issue in Reading.

For this reason I'm really grateful to Catherine for making me aware of the issue and for choosing to hold the conference in Reading.

If you are interested in finding out more I would suggest a good place to start would be the UK Human Trafficking Centre website.

The UHTC provides a useful working definition of human trafficking:

'In the simplest terms, human trafficking is the movement of a person from one place to another into conditions of exploitation, using deception, coercion, the abuse of power or the abuse of someone’s vulnerability. It is entirely possible to have been a victim of trafficking even if your consent has been given to being moved.

There are therefore three constituent elements:

The movement – recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons.

The control – threat, use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or the giving of payments or benefits to a person in control of the victim.

The purpose – exploitation of a person, which includes prostitution and other sexual exploitation, forced labour, slavery or similar practices, and the removal of organs.

Although human trafficking often involves an international cross-border element, it is also possible to be a victim of human trafficking within your own country.'

According to Stop Trafficking UK:

'Human Trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity in the world, with a turnover exceeding US$10 billion. Estimates suggest that the number of people trafficked annually is between 600,000 (US Government figure) and 3 million (International Labour Organisation figure).'

And according to the Home Office:

• An average figure of the numbers of trafficked children taken from the last two years of CEOP assessments (2009 & 2010) provides an estimate of approximately 300 trafficked children identified in the UK per annum.
• Estimating the numbers of adults and victims trafficked into the UK is difficult due to the hidden nature of this criminal activity, but according to figures published by the Association of Chief Police Officers (August 2010) at least 2,600 victims had been trafficked for sexual exploitation in 2009.
• The UK’s multi-agency victim identification and support National Referral Mechanism data from 1st April 2009 - 31 December 2010 identified 1,254 potential victims, including 322 potential child trafficking victims (this is a cumulative figure). The list below shows the top five highest represented countries:

The Coalition Government launched a new anti-trafficking strategy in July 2011 in attempt to strengthen support for victims of human trafficking. Measures included:-

• a review of the current legislation to ensure that traffickers receive appropriate penalties for their crimes
• a targeted focus on the countries that are a major source of trafficking and raising of awareness among potential victims
• extending the use of current powers to seize the profits of traffickers and make it less attractive
• establishing closer relationships with overseas law enforcement agencies to carry out joint operations across borders

Anti-Trafficking Conference - Reading - October 2011.

At the conference organised by Catherine Bearder we heard from a range of anti-trafficking campaigners including - former Police officrs, charity workers, Baroness Hamwee (Lib Dem) and the founder of a local anti-trafficking group in Oxford.

The conference was organised by Women Liberal Democrats although it was free and open to everyone.

People from across our area attended including a number of Liberal Democrat activists from Reading.

Sadly no other political parties attended.

It was not a party political meeting as it is very important we seek to find common cause and a consensus that action needs to be taken by everyone on this issue.

Although no Labour, Conservative or Green party activists came to the conference I was really pleased when a couple of weeks later current Mayor of Reading Cllr Deborah Edwards highlighted Anti-Slavery Day at the start of our full Council meeting.

Everyone who spoke at the Reading conference agreed that raising public awareness is key to stopping trafficking.

The thinking behind the conference was to draw peoples attention to the scale of human trafficking in the UK and the South East in particular and also to encourage people to campaign for action to reduce trafficking in their area.

I found the issues highlighted in the Conference around the trafficking of women and children in the UK and across the South East including down the road in Slough very disturbing and as a result I was prompted to find out more about what is being done in our area.

Part of the conference was about exploring setting up local groups.

I joined a table of Reading-based activists - including people from local churches and charities.

I took as an action the task of finding out what was being done in our area to tackle trafficking.

What's being done to tackle trafficking in Reading?

Based on the presentations I heard and information that was presented about the sheer scale of human trafficking in the UK at Catherine Bearder's Conference I find it hard to believe that this issue is not an issue in Reading.

Afterwards I did some Internet research about trafficking in our area:-

• Last Summer the Police arrested 9 people suspected of operating a sex trafficking ring in the South East including down the road in Maidenhead.
• Last year a West Reading-based couple were accused of trafficking offences
• In 2008 a man from Whitley Wood was arrested on sex trafficking charges

And this is just the people that the Police have managed to identify.

With this in mind and keen to arm myself with as many facts as possible I wrote to the Chief Executive of Reading Borough Council asking him what action local agencies were taking to stamp out human-trafficking.

I waited nearly two months for a response but finally received it today.

I've attached it below.

Thames Valley Police Response

'We review each and every reported crime, seven days per week during our daily management meeting. Included in this meeting are representatives of our Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit including Domestic Abuse, Child abuse Investigation and Intelligence staff. Additionally, the neighbourhood inspectors attend.

Any intelligence or evidence of human trafficking coming to our notice would be a) be responded to at the time with an appropriate grading and b) be discussed and picked up by the appropriate team.

In terms of the wider issue i.e. trafficking within the gambit of 'organised crime', this would be picked up a higher level than local policing agencies such as the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) at a national level. The agency could work with local forces where appropriate.

As it stands, we have not been made aware of any human trafficking issues in Reading. This is not to say that it does not exist.'

What is the Council doing to tackle trafficking in Reading?

'The LCSB has already ensured there are procedures in place for vulnerable children. In particular Chapter 28: Trafficking & Exploitation (Revised June 2010).

These procedures include direct access to Home Office guidance and includes a link to the Tackling Trafficking Toolkit on the Criminal Justice System website. It was further revised in June 2010 to include a reference to the National Referral Mechanism.

We have no child to our recent knowledge referred directly in this circumstance, although have of course had a number of unaccompanied asylum seeking children/young people we are very minded about in relation to their vulnerability to trafficking.
We have also recently been informed to be extra vigilant in relation to the Olympics as the Met Police have told Windsor & Maidenhead they may be expecting an increase in activity - hence we have briefed team managers already.

In brief, we are aware and alert although the extent of known issues is tiny at the moment in Reading. We cannot of course report things that has as yet not come to the attention of ourselves or Police.'

Sex Workers Advisory Group:

'From a Sex Workers Advisory Group perspective, human trafficking and exploitation will be referred to in the emerging Sex Workers Strategy and we are looking at how we can identify the extend of the issue in Reading.

There will also be reference made to ensuring that staff beyond statutory agencies who may come into contact with individuals who are trafficked into the country, receive appropriate training.'

On the one hand I'm pleased to hear that as a local authority Reading Borough Council is reviewing its policies and procedures in relation to trafficked children.

Once it has been published I will be scrutinising the new Sex Workers Strategy to check it pledges action around reducing harm to trafficked women in Reading.

On the otherhand I was disappointed at the time it took the Council to respond to my request for basic information.

To my knowledge this information has not been widely shared amongst councillors before.

Maybe no-one else has asked for it?

Also, the response from the Police risks sounding complacent.

I would like to see Thames Valley Police raising public awareness in Reading about how they might be able to spot the telltale signs of trafficking in their area.

This is what is happening in Oxford where OXCAT - Oxford Community Against Trafficking is campaigning to raise awareness and encouraging reporting.

Their Open Your Eyes campaign suggests people should look out for the following:-

• Foreign nationals who rarely come out of a house except with a guardian.
• Frequent visitors to residential premises, often a stream of men arriving and leaving at unusual times.
• Cars or minibuses picking up foreign nationals at unusual times.
• Sex workers who offer ‘special services’ at a low price, who are advertised as having particular ethnicity, who appear underage or speak no or little English.
• Teenage girls who seem unhappy, living with older, unrelated males, who drive them about.
• Commercial premises (including restaurants) that survive despite an acute lack of regular business.

For much more detailed information, visit http://www.blueblindfold.co.uk/

If you see something suspicious the advice is to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

So what happens next?

Catherine Bearder MEP has raised concerns about the impact the forthcoming Olympics could have on the problem of human trafficking - suggesting that it could lead to an increase in women being trafficked for sex in the South East. Catherine will contiue to challenge agencies at local and European level to act.

I will continue to ask questions of local agencies and to challenge them around their responsibilities to vulnerable children and adults.

You can add your name to the Human Trafficking Foundations' database of supporters.

I've written this blog post in part to raise awareness locally. Please do the same in your community.

We should not tolerate modern form of slavery in any of its forms.

Inspiring Lib Dem Women

This evening I spent a rare night off from my Council duties to attend a networking event organised by the fantastic Lib Dem Women's Network. This network was set up by my good friend Jo Shaw who stood for Parliament as the Lib Dem candidate for Holborn & St Pancras last year and who is a member of the Party's Federal Executive.
Although the Liberal Democrats have more formal structures in place to support women, and increase the number of women MPs in Parliament, Jo and I agree that it is important to encourage informal networking between women in the Party as a means of supporting women become more involved at all levels of the Party.
As a young woman involved in local politics I try and get along to these events to encourage other women who are interested in getting more involved in the Party. Also as a relatively inexperienced politician myself I also like to go to these events to pick up tips from my more experienced colleagues - for example on policy and more practical matters like public-speaking and campaigning.
Lynne Featherstone MP Liberal Democrat Equalities Minister was the special guest at the event tonight. Lynne is a bit of a mentor to me on the side and I am lucky enough to call her a friend. She is one of the people I respect most in politics and she has inspired me achieve things in politics right from the first moment met her a few years ago.
Lynne's constituency borders the area I grew up in in North London so we have a lot in common. When I go home to visit family and friends no-one has a bad word to say about Lynne (including non-Lib Dem supporters!) . She has an incredibly high profile in her local area because she always gets involved and stuck into local issues.
One of the amazing things about Lynne is she got into politics late - at the age of 41 but despite this she has risen from local councillor in Haringey to Minister, taking her seat in Parliament from third place in 2005.
One of the things I love about Lynne is the fact she speaks her mind and does what she thinks is right, not what she is told to do by others or necessarily what is popular. Take for example her stance on prisoner voting. This quality can mean she gets into trouble sometimes but it also means that she is incredibly well-respected by constituents and colleagues alike.
If you get the chance to speak to Lynne she really doesn't sound like a politician and she is always interested in what other people have to say whatever their role or background. This self-effacing, down to earth quality makes her very easy to talk to and I have been known to bend her ear every now and again!
I also love the fact that Lynne has kept up with blogging despite becoming a minister and that on her blog she gives equal prominence to work she does as a constituency MP as she does as a member of the government. Lynne's Blog was definitely an influence on mine (although I fear mine does not touch hers in terms of readability or popularity!) Lynne has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to communication and social media - and way ahead of most MPs.
Anyway, itt says a lot about Lynne that she found time in her busy diary to speak to a group of female Lib Dem Party Members this evening. That said whenever I have had a reason to contact Lynne about something she always responds which is pretty amazing given the amount of emails and casework she must receive.
Lynne has achieved such a lot in her role as Equality Minister - including recently campaigning to lift the ban on civil partnerships in religious settings.
The event tonight was held at Lib Dem HQ in Cowley Street and it was lovely to catch up with friends, fellow former parliamentary candidates, and activists. Politics can be a tough, unforgiving environment and we all do our best to support and encourage each other. It was really nice to see plenty of young female members there who are getting involved in campaigning and activities right across the Party.
I had a chat with Caroline Pidgeon who is doing great things on the Greater London Assembly, as well as Belinda Brooks-Gordon who as well as being a senior academic and mother is a fantastic Lib Dem campaigner on equality issues. My friend Jo Shaw who set up the group is campaigning both inside and outside the Party on a number of key issues relating to human rights.
Talking to all these talented women reminds me that we have so many bright stars within our Party and I am confident that many of them will go on to achieve great things both inside and outside Parliament.
Locally I think it is very important to lead by example and to encourage and support women who want to get involved in politics. You can never have enough female role models as far as I'm concerned. As a councillor I have developed a strong network of female friends who are councillors - many of whom are much more experienced than me! They include Cllr Erica Kemp from Liverpool, along with the fantastic Hull Lib Dem team, Cllr Sarita Bush and Cllr Abi Bell , and Cllr Marie Jenkins in the West Country - all of whom I met on the Next Generation course run by the Leadership Centre for Local Government.
I spoke on the subject of women in politics last year at Reading University and I am proud to have been able to recruit, promote and support new female activists in Reading - including my friend and colleague Cllr Rebecca Rye who was elected in Katesgrove last May.
Talking about inspirational women this post would not be complete without a mention of Cllr Kirsten Bayes, my esteemed ward colleague, Deputy Leader of the Council, campaigner and close friend - to whom I dedicate this post.