Calls for specialist foster care for all trafficked children

A new study has revealed that a large section of British people are unaware that child trafficking occurs in the UK.

Research commissioned by child protection charity Ecpat UK and The Body Shop to uncover the extent to which British people are aware of the issue of child trafficking found that over a third of the public are completely unaware of the extent of trafficking in the UK.

The findings, collated from 1255 respondents, shows that one in ten people do not believe it is happening in this country and 34% believe that child victims of trafficking end up in foreign countries, not in the UK.

Ecpat UK, in partnership with The Body Shop, has launched a three-year campaign to stop the trafficking of children and young people.

Christine Beddoe, Director of Ecpat UK said, "Child trafficking is not easy to spot and not easy to talk about. The fact that the majority of all global trafficking is for sexual exploitation has created a taboo. If we are all aware, then we can all help stop children falling through the cracks in society. We can make a real difference and prevent child trafficking.

"The key to protecting child victims of trafficking is guaranteeing safe accommodation for them. At the end of this three-year campaign, we want safe accommodation, including specialist foster care, to be available for all child victims of trafficking."

The Body Shop has produced special campaign hand cream to raise funds for Ecpat UK to help fund campaigns and prevention projects against child trafficking in the UK.