Sex Trafficking in the U.K. - Allison Ray

It is difficult to comprehend that we still live in a world where people can be sold like a product for sex. Even in the most advanced regions of the world, like the United Kingdom for example, sex trafficking is a problem. In fact, it is such an issue that the Solicitor General for England spoke out in June of 2013, saying that “progress to stop human trafficking the U.K. has been implemented, but crime and abuse by traffickers is still actively taking place within the region. According to the Women’s News Network, he stated the following:

“The government launched a Human Trafficking survey which takes a comprehensive approach to preventing traffick activity and maintaining effective care for victims. Make no mistake; we are constantly reviewing how we in the government can tackle this evil which threatens the liberties of millions and is a new form of slavery (Heald).”

Still not convinced? This online human trafficking map outlines the areas inside the UK where more illegal activity by traffickers is occurring according to the number of reported victims of exploitation:

Women's News Network

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, the authorities learned of 946 victims last year, compared to 710 in 2010. The National Referral Mechanism is the official body that identifies and looks after those harmed by trafficking in the United Kingdom. Gangs in China, Vietnam, Nigeria and Eastern Europe are the largest sources of trafficking into the United Kingdom. Det Insp Kevin Hyland, of London’s Metropolitan Police – which sees the UK’s highest rates of trafficking – said some victims travelled to the UK in lorries or containers but the majority arrived lawfully, often accompanied by their traffickers.”

The fact that most victims think they are coming to a better life in the United Kingdom means that a majority of the time these cases are impossible to detect. Claims have been made that the government has somewhat disregarded human trafficking as an immigration issue, when it is in truth a much larger problem. But is the government entirely to blame? Sarah Mendelson makes the point in her article Born Free that:

“With so much money being made and so many people involved, it is surprising that the movement to end slavery has not reached the sort of tipping point one finds with other causes and campaigns; think of the global movement to fight AIDS or the campaign in the United States to advance the rights of the LGBT community (Mendelson).”

Why is it that this awful act is still occurring in such alarming numbers and it is not considered top priority by government and people alike? What can be done to raise awareness and cause change? Born Free offers a variety of solutions using the United Nations as an example, who issued the Outcome Document and the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals took years to establish, and have since driven the spending of billions of donor dollars. Programming has been put into place to educate women and children in source areas about the warning signs of a trafficking scam. Border patrolmen and airline employees are also being extensively educated. Search and rescue parties have been organized to track down those in captivity. What it really comes down to, in regards to long-term, is establishing a human record that is so well kept and can be assessed from time to time in order to ensure an end to this issue down to the number. For areas like the United Kingdom these goals may not be far off, but when it comes to the source countries referenced above, these goals will be undeniably difficult to achieve.

Human Rights and Climate Change in England

                        When it comes to human rights, England is far ahead of its time. In fact, the history of human rights in the United Kingdom dates back farther than any other country in the world. King John of England issued the Magna Carta, a major proponent of human rights legislature, in 1215. This document became known for its support of habeas corpus, whereby a human being cannot be detained or imprisoned unlawfully. In the 1600s John Locke, an influential Englishman of the Enlightenment insisted that life, liberty, and possessions were properties of a human being that were unalienable.  He is quoted as saying that every person is equal and free but may have to exchange some of their liberties to advance in society. Locke also assisted in authorizing England’s Bill of Rights in 1689, which prohibited cruel and unusual punishment and created a shift toward the rule of law – limiting the power of the monarch and government officials. In comparison to modern times, not much has changed. England is still at the forefront of the human rights movement, is home to some of the most influential human rights activists, and continues to issue legislation in support of the rights of it’s citizens. However, when it comes to environmentalism the country unfortunately lags behind.

            “You have the right to enjoy your property peacefully,” reads Protocol 1, Article 1 of the Human Rights Act, issued in 1998 and adopted by the United Kingdom in 2000. This Act is composed of sections that codify the protections established by the European Convention of Human Rights, an international treaty overseen by the European Council and focused on protecting human freedoms. Unfortunately, Protocol 1, Article 1 does not ensure a clean and healthy environment for those whose properties it protects. Rachel Godfrey a research intern at the Institution of Environmental Sciences, wrote in her article The Political Aspects of Environmentalism inthe U.K. that, “Environmental activists are silenced once economic stability and success is seen to be under threat and the voices of those arguing that the economic costs of environmental protection are too great to carry greater weight (Godfrey 8).” Environmentalism is a human rights practice that is consistently placed on the back burner when it becomes too costly.  In fact, it seems somewhat ironic that an issue affecting all human beings is not valued as priceless.

            That’s not to say there aren’t any English organizations attempting to change this injustice. The Human Rights Watch is a nonprofit nongovernmental international org that was established in 1978. The Watch works extensively with local groups to press for changes in policy and promote human rights. According to the organization’s website, “As the world urbanizes and industrializes, and as effects of climate change intensify, environmental crises will increasingly devastate the lives, health, and livelihoods of people around the globe. A lack of legal regulation and enforcement of industrial and artisanal mining, large-scale dams, deforestation, domestic water and sanitation systems, and heavily polluting industries can lead to a host of human rights violations.” The HRW has intervened in Kenya when a factory poisoned a community:

They have also been actively combatting Zimbabwe’s water and sanitation crisis:

The Human Rights Watch also sets a perfect example for combatting eurocentrism. Although based in England, they are proactive across the globe and intervene in a variety of right movements including: Children’s Rights, Disability Rights, LGBT Rights, and Women’s Rights. More specifically, they act in coherence with Farish A. Noor’s article Beyond Eurocentrism, which states, “In our rapidly changing global environment, we are now confronted with stark socio-political realities that cannot be simply ignored. Lifestyle and quality of life vary significantly among different sections of the globe. The lifestyles pursued in many of the developed areas of the world community have serious consequences for other areas of the world as well (Noor 49).”

            Why is it that a country known throughout the history of the world as being a major player in the human rights movement is so lenient when it comes to an emerging issue as urgent as that of environmentalism? Although there are organizations in addition to the Human Rights Watch that are beginning to recognize and combat the effects of waste and climate change in third world countries around the world, what they must realize is that change starts with those of us who have the means to make a difference. If countries like England do not take proactive measures themselves they cannot successfully implement these measures in countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe who are dealing with the brunt of these environmental issues.

Sustainability in England

Working as a team is not easy. Anyone who has participated in a group activity would most likely attest to this statement. In today’s self-serving culture, collaboration is especially challenging. J. Richard Hackman, a professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at Harvard University, has spent his career studying teams and their functionality. In fact, his interview with the Harvard Business Review’s senior editor Diane Coutu reveals that most individuals aren’t good at working in teams and often don’t even agree on the team’s mission as a whole. This inability to organize and work together is one of the major challenges when it comes to sustainability and the fight against climate change. It is difficult enough to get one nation to come together in support of a common goal let alone 7.125 billion people. Sheila Watt-Cloutier says it best in her article The Intuit Right to Culture Based on Ice andSnow, “I always ask the global community, is it not to reestablish that connection that we are all here trying to deal with this issue? Is it not because people have lost that connection between themselves and their neighbors, between their actions and the environment, that we are debating this issue of climate change in the first place? (Watt-Cloutier 29)”

UK Power Shift Logo

            In his interview with the HBR, Professor Hackman explained that in order for a team to be successful it needs to be “real”. This means the group can only be effective if there are a clear boundaries set by the leader and a collective purpose understood fully by all members. In England there are only two environmental groups united by a common goal – the UK Power Shift and the GloucestershireClimate Action Network. The UK Power Shift works to bring people together from across the United Kingdom to unite against climate change and discuss potential plans of action to counter its effects. Its leadership board is made up of specialized environmentalists, each of which are involved in a broad range of local transition groups and permaculture projects. Furthermore, Hackman also mentions that a team needs a compelling direction. The Gloucestershire Climate Action Network, or Glos-CAN, is a regional organization that has it’s beliefs, aims, and objectives written out point-by-point on their website. This environmental group goes as far as to do research on the climate in Gloucestershire and get involved in politics concerning the matter. Hackman’s third opinion in regards to working as a team is in favor of having a supportive organization that facilitates teamwork and assists when it comes to reaching goals. Both the UK Power Shift and Glos-CAN cannot operate effectively without the support of a higher power, such as the SustainableDevelopment Commission. The SDC is the UK government’s independent advisor on sustainable development. It is a company wholly owned by the four governments of the United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. It is also a large supporter of both organizations mentioned above.

Glos-CAN Logo

            Personally, I feel that not only do we hold a moral obligation to our planet and it’s future, but we also owe it to ourselves. Most citizens of England show support for sustainability. According to a poll taken by the Sustainable Development Unit, nine out of ten (92%) of people consider it important that the National Health Service (which oversees the Sustainable Development Unit) operate in a sustainable way. However, only 56% would support sustainable measures taken by NHS if the cost was neutral and only 9% say they would support the organization if it cost a significant amount. It’s almost as if we are all waiting around for someone to fix this problem because we don’t personally feel that it is our responsibility. For this reason, I agree with Sheila Watt-Cloutier that these issues need to be addressed as seriously as human rights issues are addressed, simply because this issue is one of great human impact.