Scotland is 'failing child victims of trafficking'

Scotland is failing child victims of trafficking, according to a report by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People (SCCYP) and the Centre for Rural Childhood, Perth College UHI.

At least 80 children trafficked

The report Scotland: a safe place for child traffickers? found that at least 80, and possibly many more children, may have been trafficked into Scotland in 18 months without a single person being convicted for the crimes.

It is suspected by both SCCYP and other agencies working with young people at risk of trafficking, including Scottish Refugee Council, that the number of child victims of trafficking in Scotland is actually far higher, and in fact those identified are just the tip of the iceberg.

Lack of successful prosecutions

Researchers also claim that in the few cases where children have been correctly identified as victims of trafficking, the poor response to their needs and the lack of successful criminal prosecutions of the perpetrators makes Scotland a welcome place for traffickers to operate.

Clare Tudor, Children’s Policy Officer for Scottish Refugee Council, said: “We warmly welcome the publication of this brave report, which tackles a subject about which we still know shockingly little. We fully endorse its findings and urge all agencies working in this sector to take it very seriously.

“The reality is that child trafficking is happening in ordinary streets in towns and cities across Scotland and children and young people who are in desperate need of protection are suffering.

Harrowing stories

“While we do not have figures on the number of young people affected, over the years we have worked with an increasing number of child trafficking victims with truly harrowing stories to tell. We fear that the cases that we and other agencies see, are merely the tip of the iceberg.

“We would whole heartedly echo the calls made in the report for a far more child focused system, where every child’s voice is heard and believed. We need better partnership working in order to protect the best interests of the child, but also to ensure that the police can access the intelligence they need to prosecute.

“Child trafficking is a reality and we must face up to that and act together accordingly.”

Read the report

Visit the Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People website to read and download the report.