Alison Sunders - South Wales Argus
WITH just a few months until Newport hosts the Ryder Cup, a new report has suggested the event could lead to an increase in human trafficking.
The Assembly yesterday launched a report called Knowing No Boundaries which states that there is a need to combat human trafficking in Wales after evidence from other countries suggests trafficking increases significantly for major sporting events.
The report states how Greece licensed a large number of additional brothels in the months leading up to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and mega-brothels were installed near the German football stadiums during the football World Cup in 2006.
The report said it is highly likely that the Olympics as well as other major sporting events such as the Ryder Cup, will attract a significant increase in the number of women and children trafficked for the sex trade.
Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales, Joyce Watson, who put together the report, is calling for an all Wales trafficking director to be appointed who would oversee the implementation of Assembly protocols.
She warned that human trafficking, particularly of women and children, is prevalent in all kinds of communities in Wales, not just in city centres.
“Tackling human trafficking can only be done if several agencies work together. Councils alone cannot resolve the problems.
“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.”
Newport West AM Rosemary Butler said the issue is “extremely worrying” and will be writing to the Chief Constable of Gwent Police to make sure officers are fully aware of the dangers and are prepared to act swiftly if necessary.
For more information on the report visit http://humantraffickinginwales.co.uk/.
