Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2016-05-12-Speech-4-059-000"
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"en.20160512.7.4-059-000"2
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"Mr President, this debate must focus on the victims – people taken from their homes, forced or deceived into exploitative, demeaning and often dangerous situations, at risk of violence, abused, and too often arrested for crimes that they have been coerced into committing. The most marginal in our communities are the most vulnerable to exploitation. Imagine a young Eastern European woman: smart and ambitious, seeking a good life with opportunities, she meets a young man and falls in love with him and his promises of a good life together. She follows him to London, only to find that he has brought her to a brothel. Her passport and personal possessions are taken, she is pushed into a bedroom with no sheets on the bed, and she is beaten if she refuses any client that is brought to her. She is too brutalised to make any decision about escape or where to seek for help. Her boyfriend has deserted her, probably recruiting other victims. Other girls in the brothel like her: young, scared, beaten, raped and isolated. The men who come to the brothel don’t ask questions, not concerned about the bruises or the fact that she can’t speak the language.
The EU trafficking legislation is now 5 years old. It is an excellent framework for the protection of victims and is a great example of how EU countries can come together to address issues that can’t be tackled alone. But many countries are slow in implementing this. They, and we, are failing the victims across Europe. Victims experience terrible brutality and suffer many long—term physical, mental and emotional effects. I’m confirming the need that victims are properly provided for, with healthcare, accommodation, material assistance and legal support. This legal support should include claiming compensation, which victims are entitled to but very rarely get. Legal support should be available and free of charge. Victims who have been exploited are in no position to pay for that help. I’m also calling for an extension of the 30—day minimum recovery and reflection period, particularly for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The effects of this form of trafficking demand specialist support over a very long period. In the UK we have 45 days, but even this is a short time for survivors who have been repeatedly raped over many months. We owe them more than just this month of recovery.
Professionals need to be trained to spot trafficked people. This is clearly failing now. This includes front—line law—enforcement and border staff, judges, magistrates, healthcare professionals, counsellors, teachers and others. Sadly, we will never know how many victims are not found. We must also step up awareness campaigns for groups vulnerable to the traffickers, as well as the wider public, to help them spot the signs of trafficking. Trafficking in human beings is happening where you all live. Open your eyes to the signs of trafficking. We should suspect trafficking when we spot sleeping bags in restaurant kitchens, or factory workers working long hours in poor conditions. It’s in the porn movies and the brothels where the girls can’t speak the local language and never leave to go to the shops. The directive asked Member states to consider criminalising the knowing use of services of trafficked people. To me, it’s scandalous that this is not already a crime. Where else is it acceptable for someone to knowingly engage in an illegal act but not be prosecuted for it? I am pleased that I have been able to work on this report and to play my part in stamping out this vile crime. I look forward to listening to the coming debate."@en1
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