TUESDAY MAY 25
Joyce Watson, Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, has warned that human trafficking, particularly of women and children, is prevalent in all kinds of communities in Wales, not just in city centres.
Speaking after the Assembly launch of her report Knowing No Boundaries on how human trafficking is dealt with by local authorities across Wales, Mrs Watson commented that there is great disparity in how trafficked individuals are treated in Wales. It highlights instances of good practice and examples of where victims have been let down by a system lacking co-ordination. The report calls for an all Wales Trafficking Director to be appointed who would oversee the implementation of Welsh Assembly Government protocols.
Ms Watson commented: “The research I have undertaken shows that there is a big difference in the way that human trafficking is dealt with across the country. We received responses which showed examples of tremendous effort and application of procedures, and others which failed to deal with the situation effectively. One response asserted that the road network was not suitable for traffickers to work in; this lack of understanding of the nature of the practice is deeply concerning.
“It should be made clear that tackling human trafficking can only be done if several agencies work together. Councils alone cannot resolve the problems alone, rather all relevant bodies need to pool their resources and expertise. This needs to happen on a national scale so that good practice in south-east Wales can be shared with authorities in the north-west, or vice versa. I spoke to one Detective Inspector who said the idea of one region successfully tackling trafficking in their area is naive and the report supports this view.”
