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Conclusions and recommendations
The purpose of this report was to construct a more detailed national picture of the extent and nature of human trafficking in Scotland and to examine the implications for policy and practice in a Scottish content. This section examines the main conclusions and recommendations of the study with respect to: the extent and nature of the problem; policy framing; policing and multi-agency working.
Extent and nature
While it will always be difficult to be sure about the extent of a phenomena such a human trafficking, the analysis carried out as part of this research represents the most evidence-based estimate available in Scotland and it is the first in the UK to take into account the breadth of experiences from law enforcement agencies to NGOs. The qualitative data drawn by interview data with individual organisations also helps to build on what we already know about individual experiences from other international research. There are still numerous gaps which could be filled by future research in Scotland.
Policy framing
In policy terms, human trafficking for sexual exploitation should be understood and treated in the context of organised crime, mass economic migration and asylum, and where applicable, the organised sex industry, gender based violence and inequalities and child exploitation. This study has drawn clear links between human trafficking, facilitated illegal immigration, smuggling, organised prostitution and other forms of organised crime, including Class A drugs trafficking and distribution, cannabis cultivation, money laundering, and serious fraud. It is likely that tackling those involved in human trafficking will contribute to more effective understanding, prevention and disruption of these other manifestations of serious organised crime. Human trafficking and facilitated immigration also appear to overlap with issues of asylum and economic migration and the complexities of these issues need to be considered in the formulation of policies and practice. The wide range of experiences of victims should be documented. Some of the stereotypes associated with human trafficking victimisation may be unhelpful in identifying it, and in understanding the needs of victims. The nature of the sex industry in Scotland has changed in recent years in terms of where it tends to be located and the demographics of those working in it. These issues are relevant to the consideration of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. A wider understanding of how child trafficking (including internal trafficking) manifests itself in the UK would be beneficial to appropriate multi-agency responses.
Policing
Interview data gathered in this research indicate some confusion in terms of the focus of Pentameter 2. Whilst significant inroads have been made in devolving the terms and remit of UK wide policing operations to NGOs and statutory service providers, it is recognised that this is an area for further future development. Effective cross organisational commitment and contribution will require further communication to support the role of this Scottish Human Trafficking Group ( SHTG). Some of the greatest challenges in policing human trafficking and other forms of organised crime relate to the initial difficulty of gathering actionable intelligence, especially in communities which are effectively 'closed' to routine policing due to language barriers or mistrust of authorities. It would be useful for profiles of these communities to be created, and it may be worth considering the secondment of police officers from the relevant countries of origin for the purpose of operational assistance. One force carried out exchanges with countries such as Turkey and Germany in the past and these were reported to have worked well. Other difficulties relate to the identification and retention of victims. Good practice, including initial engagement, interview techniques and link-in with appropriate victim care services, needs to be developed and formalised in liaison with multi-agency partners. It is of great concern that
most of the victims and suspected victims encountered by police fled before initial interviews could be conducted or shortly afterwards.
It is sometimes more effective to target organised crime networks or a number of linked premises rather than individuals or single premises, both in combating human trafficking and other forms of serious organised crime. However, the opportunity to impact on such organised groups may, at times, require an initial focus on individuals or single premises. Both approaches require extensive collaborative work across forces.
Multi-agency working
Despite good working relationships between enforcement agencies and victim care services and some mutually beneficial examples of good practice, such as third party reporting, there remained some misunderstanding about the respective aims and roles of various organisations. Where protocols existed they remained in draft form and in some respects, were not as comprehensive and inclusive as they should have been. At the conclusion of fieldwork steps were being taken to replace the Glasgow protocol with a more formal memorandum of understanding between TARA, Strathclyde Police and the UKBA. If this has proven to work efficiently during the time it has now been in place, it would be worth considering whether this could form the basis for a wider Scottish memorandum of understanding. Some of the most important aspects of this would be the formalisation of good practice in initial interviews with victims and suspected victims and appropriate follow-up care. Inclusion of all relevant agencies would be essential. It would also be valuable to develop a mechanism for baseline data which could be supplied by, and shared between all relevant agencies would help to produce a more reliable picture and could also reduce duplication of effort and lessen the burden on victims to repeat information. Although various conferences on various aspects of human trafficking and organised crime have taken place in Scotland, more solution focused multi-agency workshop events involving participation of representatives from all main stakeholder and practitioner groups may be useful.
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