Centre's trafficking toll reaches 573
THE UK Human Trafficking Centre in Sheffield has dealt with over 573 suspected victims over the last three years, according to information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
Figures released to The Star by South Yorkshire Police, which provides staff to work at the centre, show that between October 2006 – when it opened – and June this year, 573 people had been referred there.
A breakdown of the figures show that up to March this year, 390 women and 35 men had been referred.
Between April and June, another 148 were referred – 107 women and 41 men.
Altogether, they came from 56 countries that officials know about, but the nationalities of five of the victims are recorded as unknown.
Some are believed to have been found forcibly working in brothels and cannabis factories, and others are suspected to have been brought into the country for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude and labour.
Most victims came from China (100) with 88 of them said to have been brought to the UK to work in the sex industry.
The next highest number of victims (57) came from Romania, 48 came from Nigeria and 39 came from Thailand.
The UK Human Trafficking Centre is used by a number of agencies all working together to try to combat the problem.
It is a central point for sharing information, developing campaigns and strategies and compiling intelligence on the issue.
Once people are identified as possible trafficking victims rather than illegal migrants or criminals, they are offered medical treatment, counselling and safe accommodation until a decision is made on their future.
They are entitled to a minimum of 30 days to recover from their ordeals in a safe haven and to decide whether they want to co-operate with the British authorities to help them establish who was responsible for bringing them into the country.
Under the Council of Europe Convention, victims tend not to be prosecuted for their activities if they were forced into them.
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