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6 th June, 2013

EMN UK National Network conference . 6 th June, 2013. “ Protecting African Victims of Trafficking in the UK” Lola Gani-Yusuf Anti-Trafficking Project Coordinator AFRUCA. Introduction. About AFRUCA ...the premier charity promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK

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6 th June, 2013

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  1. EMN UK National Network conference 6th June, 2013 “Protecting African Victims of Trafficking in the UK” Lola Gani-Yusuf Anti-Trafficking Project Coordinator AFRUCA

  2. Introduction About AFRUCA ...the premier charity promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK 5 Key Work Areas: • Awareness raising on Child Rights • Policy and Advocacy • Education, Research and Advisory • Community and International Development • Victim/Family Support and Consultancy

  3. Child Trafficking: Issues and Trends • Over 50 African children were potential VoTs in 2011 • 5 most common countries of origin: Romania, Slovakia, Nigeria, Poland and Czech Republic. • Nigeria also has the highest number of people trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude • Air travel using counterfeit or fraudulently obtained documents • Chinese and Nigerian criminal groups proficient in the production of counterfeit or falsified documents to facilitate trafficking. • Witchcraft/Juju as aweapon of control Potential victims identified as criminal suspects or illegal immigrant • Inability of government in source countries to collaborate with the UK government to address this problem – so it continues unabated

  4. Ten Most Common Source Countries (Source - UKHTC: A Baseline Assessment on the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking in 2011)

  5. Country of Origin and Exploitation Types for Potential Child VOTs (Source - UKHTC: A Baseline Assessment on the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking in 2011)

  6. Potential Victims of Sexual Exploitation for the Most Prevalent Countries (Source - UKHTC: A Baseline Assessment on the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking in 2011)

  7. Potential Victims of Domestic Servitude for the Most Prevalent Countries (Source - UKHTC: A Baseline Assessment on the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking in 2011)

  8. The Case for Baby Factories • Children are conceived and birthed for the purposes of sale to clients • Victims are usually coerced, abducted and raped whilst in captivity • High premium placed on biological children • Economic Reasons • Lack of safety nets for vulnerable women Cases in the UK • ‘Miracle Babies’- A Kenya pastor accused of abducting 5 Kenyan children between 1999-2004 • Nigerian woman jailed for smuggling baby into the UK in 2008 • Conviction of British couple for attempting to smuggle Nigerian baby into UK in April 2013

  9. Impact of Child Trafficking on Victims • Psychological and mental health issues amongst victims and survivors – prone to self-harm, PTSD, bulimia and panic attacks • Stunted individual growth – socially and emotionally • Living under the radar due to fear of deportation • Lack of identity • No education • No recourse to public funds • Victims become more vulnerable to criminal activities • A growing underclass of young Africans in the UK who have been denied their rights

  10. Victim Protection: Our Concerns • Early Identification Vs Historical Victims • Criminalisation of victims • Culture of disbelief • Current changes to Legal Aid • The burden of proof and The standard of proof • Support from community is often temporary or exploitative • Disempowerment and continued trauma when they contact statutory agencies • Limited access to social services due to lack of legal documentation

  11. Investigation and Prosecution • Successful investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases are hindered by a number of factors: • When VoTs escape very few go to the police/social services • Fear of being deported by the police • Lack of full disclosure by VoTs due to fear of reprisals/witchcraft • Burden of proof Vs The victim’s testimony and eye witnesses • Failure of their associates or community members to refer VoTs • Reluctance within African communities to engage in official support or testify to support victims’ claims • Failure of statutory authorities to properly identify VoTs

  12. Recommendations • Human rights approach should be embedded into victim protection, support and assistance • Protection and support of VoTs should be on a case-by-case basis and not one-size-fits-all approach • Identification of VoTs should be separated from the process of the asylum claim • Greater emphasis on investigation, prosecution and conviction of traffickers • Developing better relationships and trust within African communities to encourage referrals and/testimonies • Prevention through awareness raising using different channels and strategies

  13. AFRUCA’s Interventions • AFRUCA is developing a holistic approach to effectively deal with the issue of child trafficking in the UK/Africa in these key areas: • Signposting and Referral • One-to-One Support • Peer-to-Peer Support • Advocacy • Policy • Community Awareness Raising • AFRUCA Nigeria

  14. AFRUCA UK • Head Office Unit 3D/F Leroy House 436 Essex Road London N1 3QP Tel: 08446608607 Fax: 08446608661 • AFRUCA Centre for African Children and Families Unit 98-100, 23 New Mount Street Off Rochdale Road Manchester M4 4DE +44 (0) 161 953 4711/4712 • E-mail: info@afruca.orgWebsite: www.afruca.org

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