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Thursday, August 23, 2007
Investigation into human trafficking
A MAJOR new study has been commissioned to determine the scale of illegal trafficking into Ireland. The research has been commissioned in the wake of the shocking revelation that children are routinely smuggled through Rosslare Harbour.
In a BBC report, an undercover journalist filmed a Bulgarian criminal as he confessed to regularly using the Wexford port to traffic women and children into Britain.
Most end up working in the sex trade when they reach their final destination. The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) hopes that the new study will help authorities to understand the best way to help women and children who are brought to Ireland to be sexually exploited. ICI Chief Executive Denise Charlton said that human trafficking is hugely underreported in Ireland: “The scale of trafficking into Ireland is unknown, but the reportedly small number of cases investigated by Gardaí is believed to be the tip of the iceberg,” said Ms Charlton.
A US State Department report into trafficking, released earlier this year, identified Ireland as a potential destination country for women and children trafficked from Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Meanwhile, EU officials have estimated that in excess of 100,000 people are trafficked illegally across borders each year.
The ICI hope that the investigation will determine accurately the number of people who are smuggled into Ireland. “The aim of this research is, firstly, to paint an accurate picture of how many women and children are being trafficked into Ireland for the purposes of sexual exploitation and where they are coming from,” explained Ms. Charlton.
The ICI then hope to use these results to recommend the best ways to protect and provide services for victims, and to deal with the perpetrators. “In relation to perpetrators and the demand side of the industry, we expect the research to document the scale and extent of trafficking, and re-trafficking, into Ireland and to identify victims’ countries of origin and countries of transit,” Ms. Charlton said. The results of the study are expected in 12 months.
Harbour Master’s shock at BBC expose
The Rosslare Harbour Master Aodhán Jameson expressed shock at the news that a BBC Panorama programme had filmed a human trafficker citing Rosslare Port as his preffered route when smuggling women and children throughout the EU. Mr. Jameson and told South East Radio that the chances of people being smuggled through the port were negligible due to CO2 detectors, X-Ray machines and regular searches of cars and foot-passengers. The Echo called Mr. Jameson but he said that he would be unable to comment further about the matter.
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