HEADspace - Trafficking in Human Beings

19th August 2012

Led by - Ray Nolan Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) is the movement and control of people by force, coercion or deception with the aim of exploiting the victim, most often for sexual or labour exploitation though amongst others may also include; debt bondage, domestic servitude, organ harvesting, forced marriage, child soldiering, street begging, etc.

THB deprives people of their basic human rights, fuels the growth of organised crime and poses a global health risk. In 2009 the UNODC estimated that globally at any one time; 2.5 million people are trafficked between 161 countries generating around US$ 31.6 billion in profit, where almost 1.2 million of the victims were children. Though international in scope the impacts are manifest at national and local levels. The UK is a major destination for trafficking victims; figures for 2010/2011 show almost two thousand victims being referred to the National Referral Mechanism, indeed in 2003 the UK Home Office estimated up to 4,000 individuals were transported into the country along regular travel and tourism routes. Though conversely many UK and western travellers can either intentionally or unintentionally become a 'consumer' of trafficking victim 'services' in tourism destinations overseas. Ray Nolan, Senior Lecturer in SBS at Sheffield Hallam University will be running this event which will briefly outline some of the complexities that impact upon all levels of our society. Beyond sexual exploitation this can include where traffickers use legitimate businesses to ply their trade. This can include where the travel and tourism industry is used by traffickers to transport victims from one country to another, or businesses which may want to consider where trafficked victims may have been used for forced labour in the supply chain of their products or services such as in food processing, hospitality, construction, catering, etc. The session hopes to draw together different perspectives on the issue to provide an insight and impetus into the need for more multi-disciplinary approaches in tackling THB on many different levels. The session will conclude by providing information for audience members who may wish in some way to play an active role in supporting victims and or efforts to prevent the trafficking of human beings. To register you place at this event contact Matthew Shields at m.shields@shu.ac.uk or call 0114 225 5081