Human trafficking chair eager to talk to victims

The chair of a recently-launched human trafficking inquiry has told The Journal that she wants to “speak to the victims directly”.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC is to lead the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) inquiry into the root and consequences of human trafficking in Scotland.

The inquiry—the first ever undertaken to measure and assess the scope of the problem in any part of Britain—will focus on commercial sexual exploitation.

“I want to talk to women myself; I don't want it to be through a third party. I want to hear from victims directly,” said Baroness Kennedy, a human rights lawyer who has defended victims of domestic abuse in the past.

Glasgow born-and-raised, Baroness Kennedy will hold evidence gathering sessions once a month until around the summer of 2011.

Baroness Kennedy said: "Human trafficking is recognised as a grave abuse of human rights, involving coercion and deception. It entails ongoing exploitation and its victims suffer untold misery.”

The inquiry acknowledges that it will be time to gain the trust of victims and get help from all agencies involved.

Baroness Kennedy added: “These women are afraid for a host of reasons, they have no support, they're worried about the repercussions of the authorities, what may happen to them or their families if they tell the truth.

“The problem is that this is subterranean crime; it is hidden away.

“We need to create protection packages that support victims to get them to talk.”

Lady Kennedy plans on hearing evidence from police officers, social workers, confidants and other agencies who she hopes will “talk about what they've seen”.

Morag Alexander, Scotland commissioner for EHRC said that she was “delighted” that Lady Kennedy was chairing the inquiry.

The EHRC suspects that the problem of human trafficking is proportionately worse in Scotland than elsewhere in Britain and it is hoped that this inquiry will clarify the actual size of the problem.

Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish justice minister, welcomed the launch of the inquiry, saying: “The focus of the Inquiry on human trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation is particularly welcome and this area will benefit from the expertise of the Inquiry members.”

In October 2007, a nationwide police operation, called “Pentameter 2”, was launched to dismantle human trafficking rings throughout Britain by sharing information and stepping up enforcement.

The six months long operation was considered a success after over 160 victims, some of whom were children, were rescued from illegal exploitation rings.

Authorities involved arrested over 500 suspects but only 80 were charged.