A £2m boost to deliver work in Albanian human trafficking
hotspots has been announced today (Thursday 11 October), by
Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability
.
The programme will help tackle the flow of modern slavery
to the UK by supporting victims to rebuild their lives and
by deterring vulnerable people from falling into the hands
of traffickers in Albania. The UK will also support
criminal justice officials to ensure perpetrators of this
awful crime are brought to justice.
The package was agreed as part of a meeting held in London,
between and Albanian Deputy Minister of Interior Rovena
Voda, yesterday. In 2017, over 770 potential modern slavery
victims were referred to UK authorities and identified as
Albanian nationals - the highest figure for a country
outside Britain.
Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability
said:
Modern slavery is an abhorrent crime that entraps the
most vulnerable people globally and denies them their
liberty.
The UK is regarded as a world leader in tackling this
crime, not only due to our tough laws and support for
victims at home, but also our work abroad to support
victims, ensure offenders are caught and stop vulnerable
people falling into the hands of traffickers.
By working with our Albanian partners, we can make a
crucial difference to the lives of those who have had
some of their most basic rights stolen from them.
Government research has highlighted that the capital Tirana
and the 3 northern districts of Diber, Shkoder and Kukes,
in Albania, are where the majority of victims originate. It
is in these districts where the UK will focus its support.
Testimonies from Albanian victims who have been trafficked
into the UK highlight the importance of working to tackling
modern slavery in the region:
First there was no life, because I was held against my
will.
When I accessed services my life started, because now I
am free and now I can laugh and I can make friends, I can
chose to do what I want, all because of my support
workers.
The funding runs until March 2021 to assist Albanian
victims with their reintegration into society once they are
identified, as well as educating vulnerable communities
about the dangers of trafficking.
Kathy Betteridge, Director of Anti Trafficking and Modern
Slavery for The Salvation Army, said:
In recent years The Salvation Army has seen a continued
growth in the number of potential victims of modern
slavery from Albania. It is overwhelmingly the country
from which we receive the highest number of people,
mainly women, referred for support to recover from the
exploitation they have experienced. This trend shows no
sign of abating.
Their stories tell of organised crime and sexual
exploitation which will require a coordinated effort to
address. We therefore welcome the willingness of the
Albanian government to engage with the UK in tackling
this issue at source.
We hope this funding will effect a reduction and ultimate
end to the flow of vulnerable people from Albania to be
exploited across Europe and into the UK.
The Salvation Army has held the government contract to
provide specialist support to adult victims of modern
slavery in England and Wales for 7 years and has
supported more than 7,000 victims in that time.
The package, from the Home Office’s Modern Slavery Fund,
also includes training for Albanian criminal justice
officials so that they are better prepared to deal with
human trafficking cases, meaning those responsible are more
likely to face justice.
Albania has endorsed Prime Minister ’s international Call to
Action to end modern slavery. The UK is committed to
working closely with Albania to combat the issue.
