Supplementary memorandum submitted by
The POPPY Project
BACKGROUND
The POPPY Project provides supported accommodation
and holistic services to women who are trafficked into the UK
for the purposes of sexual exploitation or domestic servitude.
POPPY also functions as a London-based research and development
unit, specialising in counter-trafficking and exiting prostitution
work. The project is the sole UK government-funded dedicated service
for trafficked women. Key stakeholders include the UK Borders
Agency (UKBA), UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), the Metropolitan
Police Service Human Trafficking Team and the Crown Prosecution
Service.
POPPY is run by Eaves Housing for Women, a registered
charity which has been working for 30 years to provide homeless
women across London with housing and support. Eaves is a feminist
organisation committed to lobbying for the abolition of prostitution:
exploitation caused by male demand for commercial sex acts, which
increases trafficking.
The Project was funded by the Home Office (Victims
and Confidence Unit) until March 2006 when funding transferred
to the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (reporting to the Ministry
of Justice). In order to receive housing and support from POPPY,
women need to meet the following criteria:
— that she has been trafficked into
the UK; and
— that she has been involved in prostitution,
another form of sexual exploitation, or domestic servitude in
the UK.
Since its inception, the POPPY Project has received
a total of 1,146 referrals from a range of actors, including statutory
agencies (police, immigration services, health and social services),
as well as NGOs, solicitors and individuals (self-referrals, punters,
members of the public).[199]
215 women have received full support, whilst 208 have been assisted
through our Outreach Service.
Women referred to the Outreach Service must
be:
— have been trafficked, and
— forcibly exploited in prostitution,
sexual exploitation, or domestic servitude.
The POPPY Outreach Service also provides training
to law enforcement agencies, statutory and voluntary sector organisations
that come into contact with women who have been trafficked. This
involves awareness raising, training on identification of women
who have been trafficked and advice on ongoing practice.
1. Progress that has been made in assessing
the scale of the traffic in the UK
1.1 There remains no agreed estimate of
the scale of trafficking for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude,
or any other purpose in the UK. Despite this, such information
is a crucial component of anti-trafficking activities. Information
relating to the scale and type of trafficking activity operating
within the UK is needed in order to understand the circumstances
in which women are trafficked and the causal factors which can
be addressed. We would encourage further investment into quantitative
research on this topic.
1.2 There are a number of ways, in addition
to the central collation of data, that the scale of trafficking
in women can be measured:
— A study published by the Home Office
in 2000 identified 71 women who were known to have been trafficked
into the UK in 1998. The report also argued that the hidden problem
was "several times greater than we can currently document
with certainty".
— Using various data, it estimated
that between 142 and 1420 women had been trafficked into the UK
in 1998.[200]
— Home Office research conducted in
the UK has suggested that as many as 4,000 women were trafficked
into the UK for the purposes of sexual exploitation.[201]
— A 2006 study conducted by Anti-Slavery
International and work from Anderson and Rogaly of the Centre
on Migration Policy, and Society at Oxford University in 2005
documented 27 and 46 individual cases of trafficking for forced
labour respectively.[202]
— Operation Tolerance, a pilot project
examining trafficking for labour exploitation from May-December
2008 included 35 women and 1 man identified by POPPY and an additional
14 women identified by Kalayaan, the majority of whom were trafficked
into domestic servitude.
1.3 Recently published research carried
out by the POPPY Project during 2008 found that out of approximately
8,000 women involved in off-street prostitution in the capital,
84% were foreign nationals[203]
(compared to 80% in 2004). The Project believes that a large proportion
of foreign national women are likely to have been trafficked into
the country.[204]
1.4 The POPPY Project remains concerned
that there has been little attempt by the UK Government to quantify
the number of victims of all forms of human trafficking in the
UK.
2. Any developments in source countries or
types of trafficking
2.1 In recent years there has been growing
awareness of the problem of trafficking from Eastern Europe to
Western Europe. However, there appears to be less awareness that
black African and Asian women are also trafficked. The way that
traffickers from different parts of the world transport and treat
women varies widely; the way that African or Asian women are trafficked
is usually very different to that of Eastern European women, for
example.
2.2 While Lithuania remains statistically
the second largest source country of POPPY referrals this can
be attributed to a peak in 2004-2005, following Lithuania's entrance
to the EU. Numbers of referrals of women trafficked from Lithuania
has slowed considerably. Since Romania's accession to the EU we
have seen an increase in referrals.
2.3 Women report significantly less use
of entry methods such as being concealed in vehicles and smuggled
across the border by traffickers. Women from non-EU Eastern European
countries also report travelling to EU countries such as Poland,
Czech Republic and Hungary on their own passports where they are
given false documents to facilitate travel to the UK.
2.4 There is evidence of trafficking networks
from different countries of origin working together. Women report
that they are recruited and trafficked to the UK by traffickers
of the same country of origin e.g Slovakian, Romanian, Czech but
after arrival they have been sold on to Albanian trafficking groups
who appear to be well established in the UK. This has also been
evidenced in prosecutions.
2.5 The POPPY Project has found that black
African women are more likely to be trafficked to private establishments
where they are less visible to police and sexual health outreach
services. This may go some way to explaining why so many black
African women are not immediately identified as having been trafficked
and are therefore taken to detention centres or prisons rather
than being immediately referred to the POPPY Project.[205]
2.6 Current POPPY statistics indicate the
following changes between February 2008 and February 2009:
REFERRALS AND SERVICE USERS
|
| Referrals | February 2008
| February 2009 |
|
| Total | 888
| 1,146 |
| Accepted for Accommodation and Support |
181 | 215
|
| Accepted Outreach | 141
| 208 |
| Accepted combined | 322
| 423 |
|
REFERRING SOURCES
|
| Referrals by Agency | February 2008
| % of total referrals
| February 2009 |
% of total referrals |
|
| Police | 275
| 31% | 336
| 29.3% |
| NGO | 202 |
22.7% | 274
| 23.9% |
| Solicitor | 120
| 13.5% | 160
| 13.9% |
| Immigration Services | 76
| 8.5% | 103
| 8.9% |
| Social Services | 49
| 5.5% | 60
| 5.2% |
| Individual | 53
| 5.9% | 56
| 4.9% |
| Self referral | 38
| 4.3% | 57
| 5% |
| Other | 31
| 3.5% | 46
| 4% |
| Health Services | 28
| 3.2% | 32
| 2.8% |
| Punter | 16
| 1.8% | 22
| 1.9% |
| Total | 888
| | 1146 |
|
|
COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN
|
| Top Countries of Origin 2008 | Count
| Top Countries of Origin 2009
| Count |
|
| Lithuania | 118
| Nigeria | 131
|
| Nigeria | 99
| Lithuania | 124
|
| Albania | 80
| China | 88
|
| Thailand | 60
| Albania | 86
|
| China | 58
| Thailand | 70
|
| Romania | 42
| Romania | 58
|
| Uganda | 34
| Uganda | 42
|
| Moldova | 31
| Unknown | 41
|
| Russia | 26
| Moldova | 35
|
| Ukraine | 25
| United Kingdom | 27
|
|
TYPES OF TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION
|
| % Referrals February 2008
| % Referrals February 2009
|
|
| International trafficking | 97.3% (n=864)
| 97.6% (n=1119) |
| Domestic trafficking | 2.7% (n=24)
| 2.4% (n=27) |
| Prostitution in the UK | 59.7% (n=530)
| 51% (n=584) |
| Other sexual exploitation | 11.7% (n=104)
| 12.2% (n=140) |
| Labour exploitation | 0
| 3.1% (n=36) |
|
3. Any views that you may have on whether police/immigration
officers have become more aware of the problem of trafficking
and better able to identify and support victims
3.1 Some good practice has developed, particularly within
the specialist police units dealing with trafficking, and should
be welcomed and shared. However, much more training is required
on the identification and referral of victims if the authorities
are to avoid repeating past mistakes.
3.2 POPPY has noted that referrals directly from UKBA
have increased in the year and that there appears to be more awareness
from case owners.
However, the POPPY Outreach Team frequently receive requests
from solicitors and NGOs to carry out assessments of women in
order to assist in the identification of victims of trafficking.
The majority of the referrals that the team receives are requests
to assess women who are currently detained in immigration detention
centres or are in prison either on remand for immigration offences
or serving sentences following convictions for such charges. This
is evidence that potential victims are not being identified by
frontline authorities when they are apprehended by the police
or immigration services.
We continue to have contact with individual local police
forces who are not aware of the work or role of UKHTC or the POPPY
Project.
4. Whether the UKHTC has been a success in promoting understanding
of the problem and co-ordinating various agencies involved in
tackling it
4.1 UKHTC have been promoting the "Blue Blindfold"
campaign in an effort to increase public awareness of issues related
to trafficking.
Under ECAT and as part of the National Referral Mechanism,
UKHTC have increased their commitments to multi-agency working.
POPPY look forward to supporting them with this.
5. Any trends in the prosecution of criminal gangs
5.1 Cases where trafficking charges have been dropped
but charges of controlling prostitution have been upheld. For
example Operation Gib (led by Metropolitan Police Clubs and Vice
Unit)—10 people, all from Thailand, were charged with conspiracy
to traffic women within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation;
conspiracy to control prostitution for gain or money laundering.
The prosecution later dropped the trafficking charges and all
10 pleaded guilty to prostitution and money laundering offences.
5.2 It has also been noted that more traffickers appear
to be pleading guilty to the charges in order to qualify for a
lesser sentence. Confiscation orders are also being implemented
in more cases. Given the huge profits that trafficking can generate
confiscation orders should be used but should not be a substitute
for robust sentencing.
5.3 The highest number of referrals that the Project
receives involve victims originating from Nigeria (who are mostly
trafficked by Nigerian trafficking networks) yet there have been
no trafficking convictions of these networks.
6. Any improvements in international co-operation to tackle
the trade
6.1 US TIP Report states "Lithuanian authorities'
cooperation with police in the United Kingdom led to the successful
convictions of Lithuanian traffickers". The significant decrease
in referrals from women originating from Lithuania suggests that
there has been good awareness-raising and cross-border police
cooperation between UK and Lithuanian authorities.
6.2 The recently published report by UN.GIFT also indicates
increased global interest in tackling trafficking.
7. Any changes in provision of services for victims
7.1 Implementation of the Council of Europe Convention
on Action against Trafficking (ECAT) from 1 April 2009 will have
a positive impact on provision of services for victims.
7.2 The critical component of the ECAT is that it is
a human rights instrument, focused in large part on identification
of and care for trafficked persons. While certain provisions for
identified women trafficked into prostitution have been in place
in the UK since 2003, expanded services will be in place from
1 April 2009. ECAT Articles 10-17, as well as Article 26, are
dedicated specifically to addressing the needs of trafficked persons.
Improvements to existing services include:
7.2.1 An extension of the "recovery and reflection
period" from 30 to 45 days, allowing the person a short period
of time in which to make initial steps towards recovery and evaluate
their options.
7.2.2 Expanded availability of housing, medical treatment,
psychological care, legal information and assistance and access
to education for children for all trafficked persons, not just
those served by the Poppy Project.
7.3 The potential for the ECAT to have an overwhelmingly
positive impact on the prevention of trafficking, as well as the
level of care which trafficked persons receive is enormous, but
its efficacy relies on proper, thorough and timely implementation.
Ensuring that first responders are aware of the obligations to
trafficked persons and that they have the training and resources
to connect vulnerable persons with appropriate services is a key
element. All too often treaties are signed and ratified in a highly
symbolic way, and little is done to effect change for those who
would benefit the most.
7.4 The fact that A8 and A10 EU nationals do not have
recourse to public funds continues to be a bar to successful resettlement
of victims in cases where it is not felt safe for them to return
to the country of origin. This is especially true of Romanian
and Bulgarian victims who are severely limited in their access
to work. This increases the risk that women could be further exploited
in prostitution on exiting the POPPY Project. POPPY would encourage
the government to allow these women access to residence permits
under Article 14 of the ECAT.
8. Other updates
8.1. Operation Tolerance.
8.1.1 In anticipation of the ratification and implementation
of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
(ECAT), the UK Borders Agency, in partnership with the UKHTC,
law enforcement and civil society groups throughout the UK, launched
Operation Tolerance in May 2008.
8.1.2 Operation Tolerance ran May-September 2008, providing
services through 5 December 2008. The Operation Tolerance was
a pilot project investigating the prevalence of trafficking for
labour exploitation. In London the focus was on trafficking in
women for domestic servitude. The POPPY Project has received 36
referrals for women trafficked into forced labour, some of them
have been forced into prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation
as well
8.2 Trafficking: Labour v Sexual Exploitation[206]
8.2.1 Several lessons have been learned about the needs
and experiences of women trafficked into labour exploitation,
and the similarities and differences that exist between trafficking
for sexual and labour exploitation. Persons trafficked for labour
exploitation are deceived, coerced or forced into their situation,
in the same way as those trafficked for sexual exploitation. The
type of coercion or deception is particular to the life and circumstances
of each woman. Women trafficked for sexual or labour exploitation
do report many of the same "push factors", or reasons
that may have compelled them to attempt to migrate, most with
the promise of a `new opportunity' in the form of work or education.
8.2.2 Similarities observed between victims of trafficking
for sexual and labour exploitation
8.2.2.1 The average age of women trafficked into sexual
exploitation is 18-24, and the average age for trafficking into
labour exploitation is 25.
8.2.2.2 Five of eight trafficked for labour entered the
country legally, and three had false documents. None of the women
arranged their own documents. This is slightly higher than trafficking
for sexual exploitation, where 26% of women have false documents.
8.2.2.3 The average length of the workday in domestic
servitude is 16.13 hours, and all women report less than eight
hours of sleep per night. Women in sexual exploitation also report
days of at least 12 hours, many being "on call" at all
times.
8.2.2.4 Five of the eight women on the pilot were sexually
assaulted or exploited in addition to labour exploitation.
8.2.3 Differences
8.2.3.1 Average length of time in a labour trafficking
situation is 20.6 months. This is much longer than situations
of sex trafficking where the average time in the trafficking situation
was just over seven months (7.3).
8.2.3.2 Women trafficked for labour travelled between
one and four countries and three women worked en route, compared
to less than 1% of women trafficked for sexual exploitation that
are forced to work en route.
8.2.3.3 Five women trafficked for labour exploitation
were `on loan' to others to use for their services, while the
movements of women trafficked for sexual exploitation are more
tightly monitored.
8.2.3.4 Two trafficked women were expected to perform
some kind of additional inappropriate "work" such as
massaging or bathing their employer.
March 2009
199
Based on referrals to the POPPY Project between March 2003 and
December 2007. Back
200
Liz Kelly and Linda Regan, Stopping Traffic: Exploring the
extent of, and responses to, trafficking in women for sexual exploitation
in the UK, Police Research Series Paper 125 (London: Home
Office, 2000). www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/prgpdfs/fprs125.pdf Back
201
Supra n.2 above, p 14. Back
202
Klara and Anderson... Back
203
Atkins, Helen and Julie Bindel (2008). Big Brothel: A Survey
of the Off Street Sex Industry in London. London: POPPY at
p 30. Back
204
Dickson, Sandra: Sex in the City-Mapping commercial sex across
London, 2004, available from www.eaves4women.co.uk Back
205
Sachrajda, A, POPPY Project Outreach Service: A review of work
to date, January-September 2007, forthcoming. Back
206
All reported data on women trafficked for sexual exploitation
were collected for and published in Stephen-Smith, Sarah (2008).
Routes In Routes Out: Quantifying the Gender Experience of
Trafficking in the UK. London: POPPY. The statistics are based
on a survey of 118 current and former POPPY service users. Available
at: http://www.eaves4women.co.uk/POPPY_Project/Publications.php Back
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