Human Trafficking in the UK

Nadine Finch and Sam Momtaz Barristers Garden Court Chambers London. In 1807 Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act abolishing slavery in the former British Empire. Yet nearly 200 years later slavery remains not only a global problem but also a feature of contemporary life in the UK. On 2 January 2002 a letter was published in The Times from Singer J. In it he expressed concern about the low level of public awareness of and the apparent absence of political will to respond to the burgeoning phenomenon of women and children being trafficked to and through the UK to be held captive and forced to work as prostitutes.

The question for all lawyers and perhaps family lawyers in particular to contemplate is 4 years on are we any closer to eradicating this heinous practice? This article aims to:

1. consider the scale of the problem and what we mean by trafficking;
2. consider two recent international legal instruments drafted to combat trafficking;
3. discuss the government's recent consultation paper...

Read the full article here.