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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think human trafficking only happens in foreign countries and not in this country?

188 replies

Acrazybimbo · 17/06/2024 21:31

I’ve been hearing a lot about trafficking lately and always thought it only happens in foreign countries but rarely if ever in the UK as it’s never been a thing or talked about round here. I know a random thread to start but how in this country do they get away with it in this day and age with technology being how it is?

OP posts:
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15
floppybit · 18/06/2024 14:46

BouleDeSuif · 17/06/2024 21:45

I was trafficked. I was born and raised in England and it happened to me. Through that, I met a lot of women from Eastern Europe who had been brought over for the sex trade. Some had been sold by family. Some couldn't remember their real name.

I was forced into it by a much older man, who I had thought was my boyfriend- it wasn't the first time he'd done it and he mostly worked me through escort agencies that were open through the night, because they're legal and nobody cares where you come from.

The agencies knew I was being forced- didn't care, because I was making them money.
They never even asked my real name. They never asked for ID. They just sent me out to men who rang up and asked for a girl.

Some girls there were living in houses with ten, fifteen, twenty others, being taken to work for agencies every night, all their money going to the man who owned them.

They get away with it because they make sure you're terrified of them, they make sure you're frightened of going to the police, they threaten your family, and because nobody cares enough about you to do anything to help you.

The agencies all had police, CID, vice squad, etc, on their books as clients and they were the worst because they could just get away with anything.

This is awful, I'm so you and the other girls went through this. To hear of girls forgetting their own names and the fact the police vice squad were using the escort agencies is particularly disturbing.

BouleDeSuif · 18/06/2024 15:45

@floppybit thank you. I think about the other girls I was close to all the time. We never knew real names so I can't find anyone.
The police who used us were bastards, and I don't trust the police service at all now. I'm sure there are some nice helpful ones etc etc but I still don't.

BeechLeaves · 18/06/2024 15:50

floppybit · 18/06/2024 14:46

This is awful, I'm so you and the other girls went through this. To hear of girls forgetting their own names and the fact the police vice squad were using the escort agencies is particularly disturbing.

Show quote history

I think this is the problem - so many police will be complicit in this so there’s not really any incentive for them to stop the crime. I hope you’re in a better place now.

Mycatsmudge · 18/06/2024 16:30

Sadly I think human trafficking is rife in the UK because it generates significant amount of money for businesses and individuals who want cheap biddable often illegal labour such as sex work, drugs. I also strongly suspect they bribe the police, border forces, immigration officials and politicians to enable it or turn a blind eye as needed. Some of the storylines in Line of Duty on human trafficking have authenticity about them.

Tellmeifimwrong · 18/06/2024 16:51

This is such an interesting thread and there are so many knowledgeable posters giving good information, so thanks for starting the thread op!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 18/06/2024 16:56

MrsCarson · 18/06/2024 13:14

Where I used to work we had agency workers through a local agency, turned out they were all trafficked, the agency housed them all at high cost ie most of their wages and sent them out to work. The owner would even bring them to work in his big fancy car and try to talk to our regular staff, he was a smooth talking creep. Police involved all the carers moved on to god knows where he was shut down and no idea what happened to him and his family.

At least 10 years ago now, a neighbour of ours was having a big extension built. All the male workers looked SE Asian, v possibly Vietnamese, and every time I walked past they looked scared. More than once I saw who was transporting them back and forth - it was a very big hefty Irishman (I heard him shouting at them) in a large white van. I was convinced that they’d been trafficked and were being exploited and I still really regret not taking any action. 🙁

LatteLady · 18/06/2024 17:00

I am a safeguarding governor at a primary school, we had a trafficked child, part of a group of 10. We were fortunate as a member of staff had been a Looked After Child, and the story we were told did not add up. Initially Social Services did not believe us but he was rescued within a couple of weeks.

OP, it is all around you and no, flying through an airport does not reduce it happening.

Mycatsmudge · 18/06/2024 20:17

The irony being, society is now so obsessed with colonialism and slavery with the public being compelled to flagellate themselves to right these historical wrongs but hiding in plain sight is modern day slavery bought through human trafficking going on throughout our towns and cities. I do wonder whether our rulers deliberately try to distract us so we don’t register what’s going on everyday on our high streets.

Gladanotthwrteamonesomething · 18/06/2024 20:29

PeonySeasons · 18/06/2024 08:43

Actually, the CL model is evolving and there is national discussion about changing this definition as the line controllers are more frequently using kids in their home locations with less travelling involved. So it's more the controllers who are moving about, but they still use mules - teenagers on trains and buses are still very very common and it's still trafficking.

However, a key element remains the exploitation of people, particularly children, and the trafficking can also be for sexual offences, grooming and mules....

Show quote history

There may be discussion around changing the definition but currently it's as I stated about moving drugs over county lines which may or may not involve other issues such as trafficking. I hope that helps.

sashh · 19/06/2024 05:36

LadyFeatheringt0n · 18/06/2024 08:19

There are particular industries and cultural groups where its a known problem.

A friend works in a legal service where it comes up and said one area of concern is domestic staff in some migrant communities from countries where labour is cheaper where its more normal to have servants. People are are brought here (sometimes illegally) then have passports taken & aren't paid.

One of the first things the current government did was to take rights away from these women.

There had been a situation where if a woman was abused by her 'employers' if she left then she became an illegal immigrant. Under Labour the law was amended so that these women were not tied to their employer, they could leave and seek work as a domestic servant with another family.

But that was removed.

Itllfalloff · 19/06/2024 10:20

Well, statistics say you’re wrong so…

Bogfrog · 19/06/2024 10:22

My friend works for the MET in human slavery/trafficking and is VERY busy. The stories are horrifying

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