Trafficking In Women

EDM number 346 in 1996-97, proposed by Lynne Jones on 12/12/1996.

That this House welcomes the latest European Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament on Trafficking in Women for the Purpose of Sexual Exploitation; deplores that this trade to Europe, which is largely in the hands of organised crime networks, has expanded yet further, since the falling of the Berlin Wall, to include Eastern and Central European countries; notes that the majority of women being exploited in this way are under 25 years and many under 16 years; further notes that trafficked women from developing countries are more likely than their European counterparts to be married with children, and draws attention to the differing underlying economic and social causes of this trade; asks that, having made steps to tackle child sex tourism, the Government now gives attention to the trade in adult women for purposes of sexual exploitation; calls upon the Government to begin consultation to act on the recommendations in the Report, in particular by setting up a co-ordinating body made up of law enforcement, migration, judicial and social authorities and also members of non-governmental organisations; and urges the Government to consider making arrangements for the issue of a temporary permit of stay for victims prepared to act as witnesses in judicial proceedings as, without the evidence of victims, cases may never come to court.

This motion has been signed by a total of 66 MPs.