Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
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Latest trends in child trafficking
The UK’s national centre for child protection – the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre – today published its latest understanding of the trends, themes and patterns that it feels lies behind the trafficking of children into and within the UK. The publication coincides with International Anti Slavery Day.
Compiling referral data from both the UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC) and the NSPCC’s Child Trafficking Advice and Information Line (CTAIL), the organisation says that out of the 202 nationally recorded cases that it looked at, the prevalence of cannabis cultivation, benefit fraud and domestic servitude remain amongst the primary reasons for trafficking – but all remain behind sexual exploitation which accounted for just over a quarter (53) of the cases analysed.
This latest update, building on CEOP’s previous assessment of child trafficking, was compiled in partnership with the UKHTC and CTAIL and is intended to give front line practitioners a snapshot of the vulnerabilities that children are facing from child trafficking networks.
Most victims are aged 14-16, with more female victims than male, and fall into the following categories:
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Vietnamese children smuggled into the UK clandestinely for exploitation in cannabis farms by organised criminal groups
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Children from western Africa (predominantly Nigeria) trafficked to the UK, sometimes using forged documents or by making fraudulent visa applications, primarily for the purposes of domestic servitude and sexual exploitation.
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Children from eastern Europe trafficked into the UK by organised criminal groups primarily for the purposes of criminal exploitation, including pickpocketing and shoplifting.
Peter Davies, Chief Executive of CEOP, said:
“Child traffickers constantly alter tactics to evade detection so regular assessments are important to identify new ways of entry into the UK, patterns of exploitation and victim experiences – so that frontline agencies have the latest understanding.
“CEOP’s latest report provides an overview of the issue and the way this crime currently manifests itself. It aims to inform partner agencies, including police forces, the UK Border Agency and Children’s Services of emerging trends in child trafficking to ensure frontline responses are in line with the latest picture so that potential victims are recognised and supported.”
