Ballymena woman calls for action to stop scourge of human trafficking

A Ballymena woman has called for politicians to take action to prevent 'human trafficking to Northern Ireland and other parts of the world. Hazel Gregg is urging people to write to our political leaders in a bid to halt this terrible trade. She said: "I was challenged at a Christian ladies conference our church held recently about one person making a difference. Human trafficking had been mentioned and as that challenge was made I felt that it was directed towards me."
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Oct 2010, 10:20 BST
Updated 18th Oct 2010, 12:36 BST

“Human trafficking is something that you believe only goes on in big cities like London. However this evil ‘pastime’ is on our doorstep in Northern Ireland and the South and it is ever increasing. I have received e-mails before from Care For the Family, a Christian organisation who lobby Parliament about numerous issues regarding humanity and life. I have responded to them but things seem to move very slowly and I feel that not enough is being done to ensure freedom for these victims”, Hazel said.

Hazel’s concern about this matter is certainly justified. The Assembly is already concerned and debated the issue in September. In the same month, the police found 12 women and three men in one series of raids across the UK, including Northern Ireland. Seven suspected brothels were searched in Belfast.

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Detective Chief Superintendent Roy McComb, head of the PSNI Organised Crime Branch, said: "Human trafficking and prostitution is no longer gender specific. Men and women are being tricked or forced into prostitution in major towns and cities. They are being robbed of their liberty, stripped of their dignity, and suffer intolerable conditions as unwilling emblems of the sex trade. This is modern day slavery where human beings are treated like commodities by sophisticated organised crime gangs who are making substantial criminal profits from the sex trade.” What is worrying, however, is the low number of prosecutions for sexual exploitation, the failure to charge anyone for the crime of forced labour and the fear that people forced to work in houses where cannabis is grown may be treated as criminals rather than victims of crime. There are also concerns as to whether vulnerable people are really protected in the long term.

EMBRACE NI, a group of Christians working together to promote a positive response to people seeking asylum, refugees, migrant workers and minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland. They recommend that people learn to look out for the signs that people may have been trafficked. They can start to do this through the international Blue Blindfold campaign http://www.blueblindfold.co.uk/thesigns/ EMBRACE also advises contacting the Law Centre NI for confidential legal advice via their helplines: Belfast (028) 9024 4401 and Derry/Londonderry (028) 7126 2433 if victims are fearful of approaching the police directly. If you are worried about a child under the control of the others, the welfare of all children is the concern of the local Health and Social Care Trust.

Encouraging everyone to speak out about this awful situation, Hazel went on: “I feel that all women, Christian or not and MEN too, need to speak out for these often INNOCENT victims. Many are foreign and have been duped into thinking that they are coming to Northern Ireland or wherever for a proper job. That is not the case as you know.”

“What I want is for women to write letters to David Cameron and the Justice Minister, David Ford, asking that this issue is kept high profile. Can you imagine what thousands of letters all saying the same thing arriving on their desks would do? They surely could not ignore them. I intend to expand this as much as possible. If anyone wishes to help and has ideas in this campaign I would appreciate your response”, added Hazel.

Related topics:Northern IrelandBallymena