Olympics spark trafficking fears
Lauren Higgs
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Concerns have been raised that Olympic boroughs are not prepared for a possible increase in child trafficking.
Local authorities are failing to prepare for an impending surge in thenumber of children and young people trafficked into the UK as a resultof the 2012 Olympic Games.
International evidence has shown that large sporting events sparkincreases in child trafficking, according to campaigners. But none ofthe five Olympic boroughs have plans in place to tackle the issue.Moreover, the Metropolitan Police is considering disbanding its humantrafficking unit.
Campaigners claim the authorities will be unable to deal with theproblem unless they start now.
Lisa Nandy, policy adviser at The Children's Society, said "a hugenumber of children" are likely to be trafficked into the UK,particularly to work in the sex industry. "I'm surprised authoritiesaren't already working on this and it's worrying that the MetropolitanPolice is thinking of disbanding its human trafficking unit. Localauthorities and the police need to take a more proactive and joined-upapproach."
Christine Beddoe, director at End Child Prostitution and Trafficking(Ecpat UK), said the Olympics will cause an increase in sexexploitation, forced child begging and child labour.
Ruth Breslin, research and development manager at Eaves, a charity thatsupports vulnerable women, claimed the trafficking increase has alreadybegun. "When it comes to planning and having a strategy in place, itdoesn't seem to be happening," she said.
Spokespeople for Greenwich, Hackney, Newham and Waltham Forest said theyare not planning any specific work on this issue. Tower Hamlets said theOlympic Delivery Authority is responsible for this work. But, whenasked, the agency said the Home Office and Metropolitan Police areliable for it.
A Home Office spokesman said: "While there is no evidence of an increasein trafficking linked to the 2012 games, we remain vigilant and areassessing the intelligence picture on a regular basis."
A Met spokeswoman said intelligence relating trafficking to the 2012games is low, and that the closure of the trafficking unit would notaffect the Met's ability to tackle the issue.
The number of trafficking victims soared in the run up to, and during,the 2004 Athens and 2000 Sydney Olympics.
