Forced prostitution in the context of world sports events - EU measures against trafficking in human beings and the launch of an anti-trafficking day

Speech by Liz Lynne on Mon 13th Mar 2006

Madam President, the evil of human trafficking is a clear example of an area where the EU can and must act. That is why Karin Riis-Jørgensen and I tabled our oral question. We want answers today if at all possible.

Not enough publicity is being given to this foul trade. In many cases the victims are seen as the offenders: we must turn that around. I am pleased with the recent attention the subject has been receiving at EU level. Parliament's own-initiative report is due; the Council adopted an action plan in December; there is the Council of Europe Convention; yet there is still little progress. There is no point in Member States talking unless urgent and concrete action is taken.

At the moment these women - and we are mainly talking of women and girls - have no guaranteed protection. They are treated as illegal immigrants and deported, and, in many cases, are retrafficked. There are actions that can be taken: they are laid down in the European Convention against Trafficking, amongst other documents. We need safe havens so that young women and girls can be protected. We need at least the 30-day breathing period that the European Convention calls for, so that these women can decide whether they will take part in the prosecution of the traffickers.

In the United Kingdom, there is only one safe haven with 25 places. It is estimated that over 1000 people per year are trafficked into the United Kingdom for sexual exploitation. The failure to tackle this problem really is not good enough. The United Kingdom and other countries must sign up to the Council of Europe Convention.

Finally, with the run-up to the World Cup in Germany, we need to do much more to make people aware. It is estimated that thousands of women and children will be trafficked during that time and used for forced prostitution. In this oral question and in this debate we are not talking about prostitution where the prostitutes know what they are doing. We are talking about a modern-day slave trade, where the women and children have no choice about whether or not they work as prostitutes. This is what today's debate is about and we must not confuse the issues. That is why I am working in the campaign to give the red card to forced prostitution and I hope all the fans, footballers and sports associations, together with all other organisations, will get behind the campaign to stamp out this evil trade.