A report from the Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People on Child Sex Trafficking in Scotland must be a wake-up call to everyone in Scotland, according to the Convener of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council.
The report by Tam Baillie calls on the UK Government to encourage more inter-agency co-operation and to ratify without delay the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.
The report also calls for the appointment of an independent child trafficking rapporteur.
Writing in his regular blog, the Rev Ian Galloway (http://churchsociety.blogspot.com/) said: “The fact that dozens of children are being used as sex slaves in our cities, towns and neighbourhoods is utterly repugnant. This should be a call to action for everyone in Scotland. How can we let this happen?”
The report also asks that the Scottish Government acts to lead the efforts of local authorities to combat child trafficking, including providing funding the investigation of suspected child trafficking. It also asks that the Scottish Government appoint a rapporteur for Scotland, accountable to Holyrood, if the UK Government does not set one up.
Mr Galloway said: “This issue is one that the Church of Scotland Guild has been concerned about for some time. I will be writing to the Home Secretary of the UK Government and the Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government asking that they urgently take action on these recommendations. It is up to everyone to speak up on behalf of those whose voices have been silenced.”
[Ekk/3]
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