#2 – The Argument for Ethical Consumption
In the first post of this series, we looked at the most common counter-argument to ethical living – that it’s too expensive. The more aware you become of Certified products, the more you realise that Certification is not restricted to luxury items. There are, however, further cries of protest that can be made… so let’s … Read more
#1 – The Argument for Ethical Consumption
Recession-hit, saddled with student debt and no hope in hell of a job, the last thing on the mind of a young graduate such as myself might be spending a bit extra to help an unknown, unseen cocoa farmer… But does it actually cost more? If you’ve come across STOP THE TRAFFIK before you … Read more
It Happens Here…
Today the Centre for Social Justice released a report “It Happens Here” detailing what they call a ‘shameful’ failure to address human trafficking in the UK. This report calls for a more victim centred approach and comprehensive training of professionals. If this has caught your attention and you want to know how you can respond … Read more
Land of Hope and… Apathy?
One of my favourite comics is a series of sketches called ‘The British Character’, produced in the satirical magazine Punch during the 1930s. As the name suggests, it’s a brilliant send-up of the oddities of “British” personalities. In one particular sketch, captioned “Political Apathy”, a scruffy political enthusiast tries in vain to provoke some passion in … Read more
PCC, easy as 1-2-3
Allo, allo, allo… Just one day until PCC elections take place across most of the UK! Regarded by some as ‘the biggest shake-up in years’ for UK policing, the elections are certainly sparking debate, with many questioning the allegiance of candidates, who are typically aligned with political parties. Partisan politics aside, the PCC elections pose … Read more
Community action: totally unwrapped.
On Saturday, at our STOP THE TRAFFIK Unwrapped event I can say without a doubt that Community Action to Combat Trafficking was eagerly and unreservedly unwrapped. With over 250 participants from around the UK and beyond, the whole team were inspired and humbled by the passion and enthusiasm of the STOP THE TRAFFIK activists. You … Read more
What the world thinks of your country’s anti-trafficking efforts
The US State Department’s 2012 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report was released yesterday. It ranks each of the world’s nations for their compliance with US and global anti-trafficking laws using a three tier grading system, and aims to broaden understanding of ‘trafficking in people’ to include adults and children forced into work or servitude. Anti-trafficking … Read more
STOP THE TRAFFIK Unwrapped – Saturday 7th July
Join us for STOP THE TRAFFIK Unwrapped, Saturday 7th July If you want to prevent trafficking in your community, if you want to hear about what others are doing to take action where they live, if you want to hear experts speaking about community action against trafficking then this is the event for you. … Read more
Are you going to the Olympics? We are!
The Queens’ Golden Jubilee this weekend is a tiny insight into the madness and mayhem we are about to witness with the Olympics just around the corner. Yes, the countdown is on! In just 56 days’ time over 9 million people will descend on our capital to watch the world’s best athletes compete. It is … Read more
‘Trafficked’ Sophie’s personal story of being trafficked from the UK
It was a December, and a normal day in the STOP THE TRAFFIK office. I remember I was sitting next to my colleague and engrossed in some task or other when the phone rang, another distraction! I picked it up and started to talk to the woman on the other end of the phone. She said … Read more
Internship opportunities with STOP THE TRAFFIK
STOP THE TRAFFIK is looking for an intern to join the team at our London offices on a voluntary full-time/ part-time basis. I’m Sophie – the current intern at STOP THE TRAFFIK. Sadly, it is approaching the time when I must hand my baton over… For all those thinking of applying, I couldn’t recommend the … Read more
One year til the Olympics and we’re going on the road
One year from today, the Olympics will kick-off here in London and with the support of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, we are using this amazing opportunity to raise awareness about human trafficking through community roadshows. Here’s the nitty gritty of what you need to know about the roadshows: Why: Everyone needs to know … Read more
UN Advisor slams government’s new trafficking strategy
“The UK government is taking the country’s anti-trafficking efforts in a dangerous direction, if its new strategy on tackling human trafficking published today is anything to go by.” This is the view of Steve Chalke MBE, founder of the charity STOP THE TRAFFIK and UN.GIFT Special Advisor on Community Action against Human Trafficking. Steve said, “The … Read more
Breaking the trafficking stereotype
Yesterday, a man who was found guilty of trafficking women out of the UK, was sentenced to 20 years in jail. This was the first prosecution of its kind in the UK. Before an attempt was made to traffick two girls, 14 and 16, out of the country, the girls were imprisoned in the man’s UK … Read more
Stolen – new BBC drama addresses child trafficking
Sunday 3rd July, BBC1 will air it’s new 90-minute drama Stolen, from award-winning director Justin Chadwick. Stolen follows the story of one man, Anthony, and three children. Anthony works in the Human Trafficking Unit, battling to make a difference to the plight of exploited children being smuggled into the UK and from there, to anywhere and … Read more
London-based internship opportunities
*** We are no longer accepting applications for this recruitment cycle but keep an eye out for information about the next recruitment cycle in Jan. 2012! *** STOP THE TRAFFIK is looking for London-based interns to join our team for four months on a part-time/full-time voluntary basis. As an intern you will communicate with, support … Read more
GLOBAL News Round 25.3.2011
Trinidad and Tobago The Slave Trade Act was passed 204 years ago today. In T&T they are commemorating the day with the inaugural celebration of Human Trafficking Awareness Day. In recognition of the day, the Caribbean Umbrella Body for Restorative Behaviour (Curb) has launched an online network which they hope will help end human trafficking and … Read more
UK opts in to EU Directive!
Good news! Today, the UK government decided to opt in to the EU Directive on human trafficking, which requires awareness-raising campaigns and education programmes. More good news! STOP THE TRAFFIK has been, and will continue to, do just what they are asking for! We are raising awareness and educating our communities not only in the … Read more
Global News 08/02/2011
Zimbabwe “They put you on the phone and beat you up while your relatives are listening.” Established, organised criminal gangs specialising in human trafficking, known locally as Omalaitsha, have flourished under President Mugabe. Working in conjunction with the Guma Guma gang, which is described as “a brutal network of border control thugs”, the Omalaitsha traffik … Read more
Press Statement – UK sex traffickers sentenced
Steve Chalke – founder of STOP THE TRAFFIK and UN.GIFT Special Advisor on Community Action against People Trafficking - reacts to the sentencing of father and son traffickers. Read the news report here. “The trafficking of people is a horrific crime. The level of violence inflicted on every victimised woman involved in this case, the fear and … Read more
UK Sex Gangs – It’s about cash not culture
The British media could never be accused of shying away from a race row. But if there was ever an instance where bringing race into the equation was entirely unnecessary, unhelpful and unproductive, it’s here. Last week, The Times newspaper featured a leading article examining the increasing number of cases of internal trafficking in parts … Read more
Global News 15/12/2010
Iceland A lot of people have pointed out that the recent publication by WikiLeaks of US Embassy cables doesn’t seem to have told us much we didn’t already know about the world. But there’s no doubting it will give rise to a few rather awkward conversations and several red faces in diplomatic circles. It appears … Read more
Diplomatic Immunity – Getting Away With It…
As a child I spent a few years languishing in an annoyingly posh primary school feeling a bit out of place. With a trumped-up school comes a trumped-up version of the typical school bully. I can’t remember his name, but this nine-year-old was extremely well-versed in international criminal law, which he used to devastatingly good … Read more
Global News
South East Asia: A series of successful arrests has hopefully brought to an end a human trafficking operation that spanned Thailand and Laos. A police raid on a bar led to the discovery of 12 Laotian girls being held in a Holiday Inn hotel in Muang Lop Buri. This raises the question yet again of … Read more
Children found enslaved on Worcester farm
Earlier this week I got home quite late. It was dark; I was feeling rather cold, hungry and was generally struggling to come to terms with the fact that winter seemed to be looming heavily. Anyway, I foraged around the kitchen on the hunt for comfort food and managed to uncover a rather limp cucumber … Read more
Global News Summary 29.3.2010
Human Trafficking Increases on Sino-Burma Border A woman from a small village in Burma recalls the story of how she was tricked and exploited. A man approached her and offered her a job in a factory in China so she would be able to support her family. Upon crossing the border with many other Burmese … Read more
Asian Slave Brides in the UK
Hundreds of women from South Asia coming to marry in the UK are treated as domestic slaves by their in-laws; very often there is no one to notice what is happening and very little support offered. The women who report cases of domestic slavery are usually from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Women are treated in … Read more
Staff Trafficked into UK Embassies
It’s shocking to find out that even in London, under our noses, diplomats are trafficking domestic staff to work in the embassies. Kalayaan, a charity working with migrant domestic workers, referred 13 cases of trafficked individuals to the UK Human Trafficking Centre. 6 worked for Saudi and Emirati diplomats and one for the South African … Read more
