Human Trafficking

The Palermo Protocol provides the first internationally recognised definition of human trafficking:

"Trafficking in persons shall mean the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control of another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or removal of organs."

Where the Local Authority suspects that an adult is a Potential Victim of Trafficking (PVoT) they have several duties:

• They must discuss a referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). A referral can only be made with the person’s consent (unless they have been assessed to lack capacity) but is the only way that the person can access specialist support including safe temporary housing, legal advice, and interpreters and counselling;
• They must consider any Section 42 Enquiry duty under safeguarding; and
• They must notify the Secretary of State for data monitoring purposes.

Where a person is found to be in the UK illegally any legal immigration processes to deport them cannot commence until after the person has accessed all of the support they are entitled to following an NRM referral.