Crime Reduction Toolkits

Trafficking of People

NGOs

There is a wide range of NGOs, (for example those concerned with women’s rights, health issues, asylum seekers and refugees and legal advice) who are potentially in contact with children or women at risk of trafficking. At present, however, there is no single specialist NGO who can act as a focal point in the very large potential network of statutory, voluntary and private organisations who may be involved in this issue. In the absence of such an organisation it will be necessary for the local multi-agency groups to take on these responsibilities. These responsibilities may include:

• acting as a focal point for information about the development of independent safe houses run by a variety of NGOs (e.g. Eaves Housing, Refugee Arrivals Project, Womens Aid);
   

• providing links with campaigning organisations (Anti-Slavery International, ECPAT) and community organisations (e.g. AFRUCA);
   

• research and advocacy (e.g. CHANGE)
   

• being a repository of information about training activities, and a point of linkage with organisations abroad seeking to link with NGOs in the UK, or local agencies needing to contact NGOs abroad (e.g. CHANGE, IOM).
   

• Reporting offences and/or offenders to the police.  Reporting offences is the only way the authorities can understand the scale of the problem and react accordingly

   

Specific local NGOs:

•  may be able to provide support after accepting referrals from police forces and statutory service providers;
   

• can provide pointers to victims as to the various statutory and advisory services that are available to them (including accommodation, counselling, legal advice, health services, education/ training);
   

• they may be the first point of call for victims of trafficking, in which case they have a duty to inform police should they have suspicions of illegal activity of any kind;
   

•  are in the right position to be able to build up trust with victims, possibly provide English lessons and collect any information that would help prosecutions;
   

• are therefore well positioned to act as advocates for the victims;
   

• may provide support and information at court;
   

•  should be able to help provide contact with families abroad;
   

• may be involved in raising awareness amongst the general public and organisations.

They need to find appropriate ways of sharing information and intelligence with police and immigration.