Speaking in today’s National Assembly for Wales debate on prostitution Labour Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales JOYCE WATSON AM spoke up for vulnerable exploited children.
She called for research into this abuse, particularly in rural areas such as Mid and West Wales.
She also announced that she had set up an Assembly group to look into the trafficking of women and children, which will meet shortly.
Speaking in the Assembly JOYCE WATSON AM said:
“Through debates like this one today we can challenge the perception that prostitution is a transactional arrangement between adults. Because sadly, the grim reality is that prostitution is all too often rooted in coercion and exploitation, and enslaves children as well as adults.
“A Safer Wales report last year highlighted the stark reality of life on the streets of Cardiff, where sex is being sold for £10 by children as young as 12. This is abhorrent. In particular, young people in care are extremely vulnerable to the coercion tactics used by those offering them for sale on the street.
“If this is what is happening in areas of Cardiff and we know about it, what is the situation in the rest of Wales that we do not know about? We need to find out.
“The Cross Party Working Group on the trafficking of women and children, which I have set up, will be looking at some of these issues in order to assess what is being done - and what can be done - to help alleviate the pain and suffering of all those forced into prostitution in Wales.”
7th February 2008
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