Trafficking gangs continue despite Covid restrictions

Criminal gangs continued to traffic women into Scotland for forced prostitution despite Covid-19 restrictions, Police Scotland has said.

More that 80 women have been identified as victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation already this year.

Police said travel and border restrictions in place during the pandemic had not stopped the "despicable trade".

Nine of the victims were under 18, the youngest was aged 13 and the oldest 56.

The 84 women had been moved from within the UK and from countries including Romania, Vietnam, China and African nations.

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Although trafficking has reduced in 2020 the proportion of those brought to Scotland for sexual exploitation has increased slightly, according to the records on the UK National Referral Mechanism.

Det Ch Supt Sam McCluskey, head of public protection at Police Scotland, said: "Despite Covid-19 health risks and the global travel restrictions, traffickers are still plying their despicable trade in human beings.

"We believe the number of women, and girls, identified as being trafficked and sexually exploited is under-estimated. We know there are many more victims."

'Funding organised crime'

She said sexual exploitation was "highly lucrative for criminal gangs", which can make millions forcing people into prostitution or into sham marriages, often advertising on adult services websites.

"People who pay for sex need to think about what they are doing," she said. "They may be responsible for the continued sexual exploitation of a woman and for directly funding organised crime."

She said key information on exploited women and their traffickers often came from local communities.

"It's up to all of us to spot the signs, to help those being exploited, to stand against the traffickers and to protect our communities," she added.

There was a huge increase in the identification of potential victims of trafficking in 2019, when 104 female victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation were found.

Home Office figures show that 214 victims between the ages of 15 and 35 arrived in Scotland in 2019 from Vietnam alone - the figure was 66 in 2018.

Bronagh Andrew said Covid-19 had not stopped the demand for sex

Bronagh Andrew, operations manager for Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (Tara) in Glasgow, said: "This objectification and commodification of women's bodies for financial gain is not only a consequence but a cause of female inequality.

"Covid-19 has not stopped the demand from men for sex. The only thing that will is by taking robust action against those who choose to pay for sex and those who profit from the harm while we all continue to strive for gender equality.

"Throughout the pandemic, Tara and Routes Out have continued to offer safe accommodation, financial support, health services, legal advice, advocacy and emotional support to those women who need it, while they recover and heal from their experiences."

Joint operation

Recent Police Scotland investigations document hundreds of thousands of pounds moving between bank accounts.

Several sexual exploitation-focused operations have taken place in Scotland this year, with three in Glasgow leading to 13 arrests and the recovery of 25 victims.

A joint operation with police from Scotland and Romania resulted in 24 arrests, 10 in the UK and the remainder in Romania.

In 2019, four people were jailed for a total of over 36 years for the trafficking and exploitation of 10 victims for sexual exploitation and sham marriages in Scotland.

One victim was sold in a city centre street in Glasgow for around £10,000.