Six children saved from sex slavery in Northern Ireland

The PSNI saved six children from potential sex slavery in 2018, it has been revealed. They were among 52 potential victims of human trafficking, a 68% increase on the previous year.

The figures are based on reports to the National Crime Agency’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM). Of those referred to the system, 32 were women, 20 were men and 17 were minors.

The six minors reported for possible sexual exploitation were all female.

• Human trafficking rescues increase in Northern Ireland
• Human trafficking: Victims ‘stuck in limbo for years’

In total, 20 referrals came about as a result of claims of sexual exploitation.

Those people referred came from 17 different nationalities.

Seven came from the UK, and there were also seven referrals of Chinese and Romanian nationals. The National Referral Mechanism, or NRM, is the government system designed to identify and support victims, while making the prosecution of traffickers easier. Suspected victims are given 45 days to recover while the Home Office investigates their case. A decision on whether their claim is genuine should be made “as soon as possible” after this.

A positive decision could affect their immigration status and the likelihood of them facing criminal charges. To access the full BBC News Article, Click here