proposed changes in the law to tackle human trafficking

7/31/2019 Proposed Changes in the Law to Tackle Human Trafficking

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PROPOSEDCHANGESINTHELAWTOTACKLEHUMAN

TRAFFICKING

CONSULTATIONPAPER

AUGUST2012


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FOREWORD

Human trafficking is a serious and growing problem all over theworld and

NorthernIrelandisnotexemptfromitsscourges.InNorthernIrelandwehave

witnessedaconcerningincreaseintraffickedpeople,manyofwhomendup

being abused andharmed. Many are trafficked into whatamounts to little

morethanslavelabour,orintoprostitution,sexualexploitationandalifeof

crime.

I believe it is important that we must prevent Northern Ireland being an

attractive place to those responsible for humantrafficking, but also thatwe

shouldbedoingallthatwecantopreventthedanger,painandharmthatis

causedtothemanyvulnerablevictimsofhumantrafficking.Inparticular,itis

oftenchildrenandyoungpeoplewhoarethevictims.

The current Criminal Justice Bill from the Department of Justice addresses

someoftheneedstostrengthenthehumantraffickingoffencesbutthereis

still more that should be done to offer the best protection against human

trafficking. I am therefore proposing a private members Bill to improve:


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assistance and support to victims, provisions for addressing demand and

investigations and prosecutions. A draft Bill is annexed to this consultation

document.

Tohelpmeinthispieceoflegislation,Iamseekingyourviewsonwhatthelaw

shouldsayanddoontheseimportantandseriousissues.Ihopeyouwilltake

the time toanswer the questions outlined inthisdocument. Thankyou for

yourinterestinthisissue.

THECONSULTATIONWILLCLOSEAT5pmONTHURSDAY18thOCTOBER2012.

LORDMORROW

DEMOCRATICUNIONISTPARTY

AUGUST2012


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INTRODUCTION

HumantraffickingisagrowingproblemforNorthernIreland.Easieraccessto

travel across states alongwitha rangeof other issueshasmade this intoasignificantandseriousproblem.

Year Victims of

Human

Trafficking

Sexual

Exploitation

Forced

Labour

Domestic

Servitude

Unknown

2008/091 11 6 3 2

2009/102 25 17 5 1 2

2010/113 23 18 5

2011/124 27 18

TheNorthernIrelandAssemblyhasshownthatitisconcernedabouthuman

traffickingwithadebateon7February2012,formationofanAllPartyGroup

onHumanTrafficking inFebruary2012,AssemblyQuestionsand the Second

Stage debate of the Criminal JusticeBill on 3 July 2012. TheResearch and

Information Services produced a research paper on Human Trafficking in

NorthernIrelandinJune2012.In2012,therehavealsobeena Departmentof

Justice consultation on human trafficking offences and a Public Prosecution

Serviceconsultationonprosecutingtraffickingoffences.

Thereisgrowingsupporttodomoretotacklethisproblem.

1 Data quoted from different sources in Northern Ireland Assembly Research Paper,

HumanTraffickinginNorthernIreland,page122 DepartmentofJusticePressRelease,22March2011

3

DatafromtheOrganisedCrimeTaskForcewebsite,accessed18May20124 DepartmentofJusticePressRelease,15May2012


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THEISSUE

TheAssemblyneedstoensurethatNorthernIrelandisprosecutingtraffickers

andcaringforvictims.NorthernIrelandshouldbemeetingsitsobligationsto

reduce demand, successfully prosecute cases and support victims under the

EuropeanDirectiveonPreventingandCombatingTraffickinginHumanBeings

and Protecting its Victims. The Department of Justice has proposed new

offencesinthecurrentCriminalJusticeBilltoensurethat:

a) whenoffencesarecarriedoutabroad,individualscanbeprosecuted

inNorthernIreland;

b) internaltraffickingwithintheUKismadeacrime.

However,more should bedone to improve investigations and prosecutions,

tackledemandandsupportvictims.

THEPROPOSAL

It is proposed that a Bill should be introduced in the Assembly to enable

Northern Ireland to meets its international obligations to reduce demand,

tackletrafficking and supportvictims. This consultationincludesaproposed

draftBillwhichwould:

Allowcourtstotakeaggravatingfactorsintoconsiderationwhenpassing

sentence;

Extendthedefinitionofotherexploitationtoincludeforcedbegging;

Bringinanewoffenceofpayingforthesexualservicesofaprostitute;

Ensurenoprosecutionisbroughtforacriminaloffencecommittedbya

traffickingvictimasadirectconsequenceofbeingtrafficked;

Requiretrainingand investigative toolstobemadeavailable forpolice

andprosecutors;

Defineavictimoftrafficking;

Setoutwhatassistanceandsupportisrequiredforvictimsoftrafficking;


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Set out what civil legal services should be available to victims of

trafficking;

Requireclearcompensationprocedures;

Require each child victim to have a legal advocate to support them

through the relevant criminal, immigration and compensation

proceduresandensuretheyreceivesuitableassistance;

Provide special measures for trafficking victims if they act as

witnesses;

Require the Department of Justice to produce an annual strategy onraisingawarenessandreducingtraffickinginhumanbeings.

This legislation would ensure that Northern Ireland is at the forefront of

tacklinghumantraffickingandsupportingvictimswithintheUK.Withoutthis

legislation, there is no guarantee that resources will be put into reducing

humantraffickingandcaringforvictimsoverthelongterm.

Question:Doyouagreethatthereisacaseforfurtherlegislationtoprevent

andtacklehumantraffickingandsupportvictims?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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CONSENTOFTHEVICTIMTOBETRAFFICKED(Clause1(2)ofmyDraftBill)

Ifsomeoneiscaughttraffickingpeoplethentheywillbeprosecuted.However,

thatpersonmayclaimthatthetraffickedpeopleagreedtobetrafficked.The

proposedBillwillmakeevidenceofconsentoragreementirrelevantwhereit

wasbasedon:

- Threats,theuseofforceorotherformsofcoercion;

- Abduction;

- Fraud;

- Deception;

- Abuseofpowerorofapositionofvulnerability;

- Givingorreceivingofpaymentorbenefitstoapersonresponsiblefor

anotherperson,toachieveagreementtotrafficthatperson.

This change would meet the requirements of Article 2(4) of the European

Directive.

QuestionsonConsent

Iwouldwelcomeyourviewsonthefollowing:

Do you agree that there should be a list of circumstances outlining when

evidenceofagreementtotravelandbetraffickedisirrelevant?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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Do you agree that there should be a list of circumstances outlining when

evidenceofagreementtotravelandbetraffickedisirrelevant?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Whichonestoyouthinkarethemostimportant?

Comments:

Arethereanythatyouthinkshouldnotbeincluded?

Comments:

AGGRAVATINGFACTORS(Clause2ofmyDraftBill)

An aggravating factor is something the court must take into account when

sentencingacriminalconvictedofhumantrafficking.Article4oftheEuropean

Directive sets out a list of things that make the crime more serious and

thereforethecrimewillgetalongersentence.

TheBillproposesincludingthislistofaggravatingfactorsthatMUSTbetaken

intoaccount.Theyare:


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- Thatthecrimewascommittedbyapublicofficialwhentheyweredoing

theirduties;

- Thevictimwasachild;

- Thevictimwasavulnerableadult;

- Thecriminalwaspartofacriminalorganisation;

- Thelifeofthepersontraffickedwasendangered;

- Therewas use of serious violence or serious harmwas caused to the

victim.

QuestionsonAggravatingFactors.


DoyouagreetheJudgeshouldbeforcedtotakeintoaccountcertainfactors

thatmakethecrimeworse?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreethatthesefactorsmakethecrimeworse?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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Arethereanyothercircumstancesthatmaketraffickinghumansworse?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Shouldsomeoftheseproposedfactorsberemoved?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

DoyouagreethatthesefactorsshouldmeanthattheJudgemustgivelonger

sentences?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

EXPANDINGTHEDEFINITIONSOFEXPLOITATION(Clause3ofmyDraftBill)

TheBillproposestoexpandsomeofthedefinitionsetoutintheAsylumand

Immigration(TreatmentofClaimantsetc.)Act2004tomeettherequirements

ofArticle2oftheEuropeanDirective,including:


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- force and threats to cover coercion, abduction and fraud for

offencesabuseofpowertoincludeanabuseoftrustrelationship;

- defining services that apersonmightbe forced toprovide to include

forcedbeggingandcriminalactivities;

- Definingexploitationtoincludeathirdpersonbeinggivenorreceiving

paymentsorbenefitstoachievetheconsentofavictimoftrafficking.

QuestiononExpansionofDefinitions


Do you agree the definitions related to exploitation should be expanded as

proposedabove?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

MAKINGPAYINGFORSEXUALSERVICESILLEGALINNORTHERNIRELAND

(Clause4ofmyDraftBill)

Demand for paid sex is one of the main drivers of trafficking to Northern

Ireland. It is illegaltobuysex fromsomeone inNorthern Ireland iftheyare

coerced.5 Some might respond to this by stating the law already covers

trafficking. Technically that is correct but in practice the current offence

presents real challenges because it requiresproofof coercionwhichcan be

5 Article64AoftheSexualOffences(NorthernIreland)Order2008


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difficulttoprovide.Thetruthisthatatpresentthemajorityofrescuedvictims

of trafficking in Northern Ireland are those brought here for sexual

exploitation.Ibelievethatwecandobetter.

In Sweden in 1999 they introduced a simpler offence that my Bill also

proposes,namelymakingthepurchaseofsexanoffence.Inthiscontextwhere

thelawhassenttheveryclearmessageofzerotoleranceforthepurchaseof

sex, it has had a clear impact on trafficking. The police in Sweden have

interceptedphonecallsbetweentraffickersindicatingthattraffickersconsider

SwedenabadmarketandvictimsreportthattraffickerstalkaboutSweden

as a poor market.6 I want to see Northern Ireland benefit from similar

legislation.

TheUNAnti-TraffickingRapporteurhassaidprostitutionasactuallypractised

intheworldusuallydoessatisfytheelementsoftraffickingandisoftenasa

resultofanabuseofpowerand/or vulnerability.7Mostpeopleinvolvedin

prostitutiondosoasaresultofaseriesofunfortunateevents.Formanywho

make the choice rather than being forced into it, it is a decision of

desperation.Iwantthesepeopletofindthehelptheyneed,andnotresortto

sellingsex.Therearemanydangerstoprostitution.Ibelievethosewhopay

foritshouldbepunished,insteadofthefocusonlybeingonthosewhosell.

6 SeeKajsaWahlberg,SwedishNationalRapporteuronHumanTraffickingandDetective

inspector at the NationalPolice Board, onpage 20of the Report from the European

ConferenceonHumanTrafficking,December2009.7 Integrationof theHumanRights ofWomenandaGender Perspective,Reportofthe

SpecialRapporteuronthehumanrightsaspectsofthevictimsoftraffickinginpersons,

especiallywomenandchildren,SigmaHuda,2006,page9,para42


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Incidentally,Dublinisverywiselycurrentlyconsideringintroducingsuchalaw.8

Iftheydoandwekeepourlawssimplystatingthatitisanoffencetobuysex

from someone who is coerced,we could find sex tourists coming from the

South to buysex in theNorthwhere they know that the legal framework is

morerelaxed.Thereversewouldundoubtedlybetrueifwehadtougherlaws

thantheSouth.

IfNorthernIrelandtakesthisstepwewillbethefirsttodosointheUK.

QuestionsonMakingPayingforSexualServicesIllegal


Doyouagreethatpayingforsexualservicesofaprostituteshouldbeillegal?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreethatpromisingtopayforsexualservicesofaprostituteshouldbe

illegal,eveniftheactasnottakenplace?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

8 http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/anti-prostitution-billboard-

campaign-launched-563269.html


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Ifyoudisagreethatitshouldbemadeillegal,why?

Comments:

PROTECTINGTHEVICTIMFROMPROSECUTION(Clause5(3)ofmyDraftBill)

Ifthepolicecatchacriminalwhohasbeeninvolvedinhumantraffickingthen

itisimportantthatweprotectthevictimofthistrafficking.Ifthatvictimhas

beenengaged incriminalactivity related tobeingtrafficked e.g. commercial

cannabisconsultation,thenthevictimhascommittedacrime.MyBillseeksto

protect the victim in those circumstances. The Bill would ensure no

prosecution or penalty would happen in certain circumstances, as

recommendedinArticle8oftheEuropeanDirective.Thiswouldincludeifthe

victimhadbeenforcedtocommitacrimeasadirectconsequenceof:

- Threats,theuseofforceorotherformsofcoercion;

- Abduction;

- Fraud;

- Deception;

- Abuseofpowerorpositionofvulnerability;

- Giving/receivingofpaymentsorbenefitstosomeonewithcontrolover

thetraffickedpersontogettheirconsent;

Thiswouldonlybeforthosecrimesthathappenedasadirectconsequenceof

beingtrafficked.

Iamproposingthatthereisatotalexemptionifthatvictimwasachild.


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QuestionsonProtectingVictimsfromProsecution


Doyouagreethatthevictimoftraffickingshouldnotbepunishedforcrimescommittedinspecifiedcircumstances?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreetheseexemptionsshouldonlyapplyinverylimitedcircumstances

wherethosecrimesweretheDIRECTCONSEQUENCEofthetrafficking?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreethatchildren(uptotheageof18years)shouldgetanexemption

forcrimescommittedthatwereaDIRECTCONSEQUENCEofthetrafficking?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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INVESTIGATION,PROSECUTIONANDREDUCINGTRAFFICKING(Clause6ofmy

DraftBill)

Traffickingoffencesareoftendifficulttoinvestigateandprosecutebecauseoftheir complexities. My Bill would require effective investigative tools and

training be made available for investigators and prosecutors. It would also

ensurethattheDepartmentofJusticehad toproduceanannualstrategyfor

raisingawarenessandreducingtraffickingsothattherewouldbeacontinuing

focusontacklingthiscrime.Theseproposalswouldmeettherequirementsof

Articles9and18oftheEuropeanDirective.

QuestionsonInvestigation,ProsecutionandReducingTrafficking

Do you agree that investigative tools and training be made available for

investigatorsandprosecutorsofhumantraffickingcases?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

DoyouagreethereshouldbealegalrequirementfortheDepartmentofJustice

toproduceanannualstrategyonraisingawarenessandreducingtraffickingin

humanbeingsaspartofthepreventionmeasures?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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SUPPORTINGANDASSISTINGTHEVICTIMINTORECOVERY(Clauses8-12of

myBill)

It isvital thatvictims of human trafficking are given suitable assistance and

supporttomakeafullrecovery,beabletoactaswitnessesandhaveaccessto

compensation.MyBillsetsouthowNorthernIrelandwouldsupportvictims,

whethertheyareadultsorchildren,andmeetstherequirementsofArticles11

to17oftheEuropeanDirective.

My Bill would ensure that victims could receive support regardless of their

willingness to act as witness for up to three months after any criminal

proceedings.

General and Legal Support (Clauses 8 and 9, covering Articles 11-16 of the

EuropeanDirective)

Assistanceandsupportwouldinclude:

- appropriateandsafeaccommodation;

- materialassistance, including for apersonwith specialneedscaused

bypregnancy,physicalormentalhealth,disability,orbeingthevictim

ofseriouspsychological,physicalorsexualviolence;

- medicaltreatment,includingpsychologicalassistance;

- counselling;

- information, including on a reflection and recovery period, the

possibilityofgrantinginternationalprotectionandrefugeestatus;

- translationandinterpretationservices;

- accesstoeducationforchildvictimsandchildrenofvictims;

- legalcounselling,eitherthroughlegalaidorothermeans;


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- legalrepresentation,eitherthroughlegalaidorothermeans;and

- assistanceinapplyingforcompensation.

MyBillwouldensurethatlegalaidisavailabletotraffickingvictimsinthree

circumstances,whichreflectrecentchangesinthelawinEnglandandWales:

- foranapplicationforleavetoenterorremainintheUK;

- aclaimunderemploymentlaw;and

- aclaimfordamages.

Lastyear,therewasareviewoflegalaidprovisioninNorthernIreland.9The

proposals for change have not yet been finalised. Ahead of any potential

changes, my Bill would set out a minimum provision of civil legal aid for

traffickingvictims.

Compensation for victims (Clause 10, covering Article 17 of the European

Directive)

The provision of compensation for victims of trafficking isvital both for the

provisionofsomesenseofrestitutionandinordertohelpthemrebuildtheir

shattered lives.My Billwould require theDepartment for Justice to set out

how a trafficking victim could apply for compensation, for instance through

compensation orders, an application to the Compensation Agency, civil

litigationor,potentially,beforeanemploymenttribunal.

Legaladvocatesforchildvictims(Clause11,coveringArticles14and16ofthe

EuropeanDirective)

9 SeeNorthernIrelandCourtsandTribunalsServicewebsite,

http://www.courtsni.gov.uk/en-gb/aboutus/a2jreview/Pages/default.aspx


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Currentlythe number ofchildrenthat are trafficked intoNorthern Ireland is

smallitwasestimatedthat7childrenwereidentifiedastraffickedinthefirst

ninemonthsof201110buttheyneverthelessneedalloursupport.MyBill

would seek to provide that support for child victims who have no parental

figureavailablebyrequiring theappointmentofa legaladvocatewhowould

safeguardingthechildsbestinterests.

The term that is generally used in international instruments for the roleoutlinedinmyBillisguardian.However,inourlegalsystem,guardianhasa

differentmeaning (a parental responsibility figure) so I have used the term

legaladvocatetodiscriminateitfromalegalguardian,whilstcoveringtherole

referredtoas guardian by international instruments,whichstate that The

role of a guardian is to be an advocate for the child in a wide range of

discussionsanddecisionsaboutwhatshouldhappentothechild,inparticular

to ensure that the decision-making process primarily considers the best

interests of the child. The role isalso tobe a linkbetweenthe child and the

variousagenciesthechildcomesintocontactwith,toensurethechild iskept

informed of any relevant developments with respect to him or her, and to

accompanythechildinaphysicalway,inparticularwhensheorheismoved

betweenvariousplaces.11

10 SeeChild TraffickingUpdate,CEOP,October2011,pages3and13.202childrenwere

identifiedastraffickedintoandwithintheUKbetween1Jan2011and15Sept2011;7

ofwhichwereidentifiedinNorthernIreland.11SeeReferenceGuideonProtectingtheRightsofChildVictimsofTraffickinginEurope,

UNICEF,2006,section5.2,page51andpages117-8,CheckListforGuardians:Rolesand

ResponsibilitiesandGuidelinesontheProtectionofChildVictimsofTrafficking, UNICEFtechnicalnotes,September2006,section4.2,page17


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Specialmeasuresforhumantraffickingvictimsactingaswitnesses(Clause12

coveringArticle12theEuropeanDirective)

FinallymyBillwouldalsoseektoincreasetheassistanceavailabletotrafficking

victimsshouldtheyactaswitnessesincaseswhereatraffickerisprosecuted.

Thereisalreadyprovisionforsomeoftheseso-calledspecialmeasures(eg.

evidencebylivelinkorscreeningthewitnessfromtheaccused)forvictimsof

traffickingforsexualexploitation.MyBillwouldextendthesetotraffickingfor

othertypesofexploitation.

QuestionsonSupportingandAssistingaVictimintoRecovery


Doyouagreethatlegislationshouldsetoutwhatassistanceandsupportis

requiredforvictimsoftraffickingcoveringArticle11oftheEuropeanDirective?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreethatlegislationshouldrequireclearcompensationproceduresin

linewithArticle17oftheEuropeanDirective?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:


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Doyouagreethateachchildtraffickingvictimshouldhavealegaladvocatetosupportthemandensuretheyreceivesuitableassistance, inlinewithArticles

14and16oftheEuropeanDirective?

Yes No Unsure

Comments:

Doyouagreethatthereshouldbespecialmeasuresfortraffickingvictimsif

theyactaswitnesses,inlinewithArticles12and15oftheEuropeanDirective?Yes No Unsure

Comments:

QuestionsonHumanRights&EqualityImplications


Howdoyouthinktheproposedlegislationwillimpactonhumanrights?

PositivelyNegatively Notatall/notsignificantly Unsure

Comments:


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Howdoyouthinktheproposedlegislationwillimpactonequalityofopportunity?

PositivelyNegatively Notatall/notsignificantly Unsure

Comments:

OtherQuestions


Doyouhaveanycommentsonthelikelycost/financialimplicationsofthe

proposedlegislation?

Comments:

Doyouhaveanyothercommentsontheproposeddraftlegislation?

Comments:


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Contactdetailsofpersonrespondingtoconsultation:

Name:

Organisation(ifapplicable):

Address:

Emailaddress:

Tel.

Consultationresponse/contactdetails:

LordMorrowMLA

ByPost: (ConstituencyOffice) DUPAdviceCentre

19ChurchStreet

Dungannon

CountyTyroneBT716AB

(AssemblyOffice) Room222

ParliamentBuildings

Stormont

BelfastBT43XX


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ByEmail: [email protected]

[email protected]

ByTelephone: 02887752799

proposed changes in the law to tackle human trafficking

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