Blogs

Yesterday it was disclosed that UK Police closed down 7,800 cannabis factories in the last twelve months - up 400% on previous figures.  There was no mention of the trafficking & forced labour exploitation of the young Vietnamese boys used in the farming of the cannabis in these farms.  Why? 

  The Roma are disproportionaltely represented amongst victims of trafficking; Bulgarian Roma, Czech Roma, Slovak Roma, Serbian Roma and Romanian Roma - this is because they are discriminated against across the EU, live in dire poverty, suffer high levels of unemployment, homelessness, poor health, low educational achievement and social exclusion - they are vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking because we leave them vulnerable.

 Rageh Omar working for Al Jazeera posed a question from Sue Gwyer of COMBAT to the expert panel in the Washington debate on the 21st Century Slave Trade: "Is the commodification of humanity an inevitable in a world capitalist ecomony in crisis."  Catch the coverage on you tube - 27 minutes through the documentary:

" Speak out in acts - the time for words has passed and only deeds will suffice." - Alfred North Whitehead

COMBAT UK posted a question in the Al Jazeera English debate on the 21st Century Slave Trade:  " Is the commodification of humanity an inevitable in a global capitalist economy in crisis?"

 A massive big 'RESPECT' to Oscar winning actress Mira Sorvino for her unstinting anti-trafficking work and her support last night at the film premiere of Robert Bilheimer's documentary film 'Not My Life' and the launch of the Human Trafficking Handbook, collated and edited by the award wining barrister Parosha Chandran. Mira was forthright and challenging in her contributions to the post film panel discussion.

To co-incide with anti-slavery day this week CEOP & CTAIL released joint figures on child trafficking for Jan > Sep 2011.  They have dealt with 202 referrals in this period.  67 cases were African children, 29 of which were Nigerian girls trafficked for sexual exploitation.  67 cases were Asian, the majority - 48 - being Vietnamese boys used primarily in cannabis cultivation.  There were just 4 Chinese cases; representing a significant decrease.  50 referrals were for Eastern European children; 10 Bulgarian, 23 Romanian and 12 Slovakian - all were being ex

The Met, CEOP and ECPAT UK revealed this week that over the past four years in excess of 400 African children have been trafficked to the UK for juju blood rituals.  Trafficking for this purpose is clearly on the increase and should ring alarm bells for safeguarders countrywide.  A belief amongst some cultures in the power of human blood is playing a part in the demand for these African children.  The children are exposed to horrific abuse involving the forced extraction of blood - one boy described how 'witch doctors' took hair, cut his arms and leg

 The PTThe release of the Project Troy report blows out of the water the contention that the UK is not a source country for victims of trafficking.  Of the 213 victims trafficked into, out of and within the UK by tarmac & paving gangs between 2007 and 2010 over half were British.

It has been announced that the CPS will go for a re-trial of the Telford internal trafficking defendants in the New Year - HURRAH!