Human Trafficking exhibition in Parliament

MP continues campaign against Modern Day Slavery

Fiona Bruce MP is a member of the Cross Party Group in Parliament against Human Trafficking. This group, the All Party Parliamentary Group Against Human Trafficking, recently held one of the most dramatic and distressing exhibitions ever promoted in the House of Commons, highlighting the hidden nature of Modern Day Slavery. 

The exhibition depicted different kinds of slavery hidden away in our society.   Curtains, doors, drawers and tea chests concealed the stories and photographs of the survivors of this modern day trade. 

As Fiona Bruce MP says:

 “Drugs can be sold only once – that is bad enough – but tragically, a young girl can be sold over and over again. This is a horrendous and highly lucrative trade.”

The survivors who shared their stories included Cristina, a Romanian girl sold by her mother into prostitution in Birmingham when she was 16.  There was also a man, duped by a job advertised in Hungary, and on arrival here forced to work without pay, compelled to open a credit card account operated by his slave master, forced to claim benefits for non-existent children.

No one knows the real numbers involved.  The Serious Organized Crime Agency knows that at least 2,000 victims are found each year, but believe could be the tip of the iceberg and that for every victim found, another ten remain hidden. 

Of these victims that have come to light, 5% are known to have come from here in the North West. 

Fiona Bruce continues:

“Human trafficking happens in every part of the country including here in Cheshire. I want to ensure that everyone is more alert to the signs of modern day slavery, and pay tribute to the students at Sandbach High School who have done so much to highlight this within the school and beyond. As the recent tragic case in Cleveland, America, of Amanda Berry and, her child, and two other girls, hidden away for years in a residential house, shows, it is possible to imprison young people for prostitution and other purposes, even within communities. I hope that more students in schools, public service employees, the police, those in private businesses and indeed everyone will be more vigilant in future. In Parliament I want to see the Government put modern day slavery at the top of the political agenda. There are now more slaves than there were when William Wilberforce ended the slave trade in 1807.

The Prime Minister opened the exhibition saying:

"Modern day slavery comes in many forms, in many ways, and we have to have a really concerted approach to crush it, to stamp it out and to make sure that we look at the rights of those who are affected and take a criminal approach to those who are the traffickers and above all call it what it is: slavery.

 "Congratulations to all of you for putting on this exhibition here in the mother of parliaments; it’s the right place for it to be.  I very much look forward to seeing the exhibition, to meeting those who have been caught up in this appalling trade and to leading a government that will help stamp it out."

Fiona Bruce continued:

“ I was delighted that the Prime Minister came to open the exhibition and signalled the importance which he places on this issue, one I have raised at PMQs with particular reference to the importance of partnership working – local police, customs, local authorities, schools, and everyone. Working in a co-ordinated way is the only means by which this all too hidden problem can be effectively tackled.

Further Information:

1.    The European Commission estimates that slavery has grown to 150,000 victims a year in Europe alone - in Britain, the sheer scale of slavery is growing – invisible and difficult to detect.

2.    Britain has recently signed up – after pressure from the APPG Against Human Trafficking -  to an EU Directive on human trafficking which sets out the minimum requirements needed by all EU Member State countries to fight collectively this crime. 

3.    The Centre for Social Justice recently produced a lengthy report on modern day slavery and concluded with 80 recommendations, see: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk