Human trafficking in Scotland: the legislative response.

Arnell, Paul; Ogilvie, Tracy

Abstract

Human trafficking in Scotland has entered the realms of political rhetoric, governmental consciousness and academic debate. Following a summit on human trafficking in October 2012 in Edinburgh Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said 'We want to send out the message that Scotland is closed for business to traffickers'. The Scottish Government notes on its website that 'Trafficking in human beings is an abhorrent evil practice which has no place in a civilised society'. The non-departmental Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published a thorough report on the subject, in November 2011, following its Inquiry into Human Trafficking in Scotland (EHRC Report 2011). The Report describes in considerable detail human trafficking in Scotland and set out ten findings with accompanying recommendations. A Follow-on Report was recently published, in March 2013. In it the progress made on the recommendations in the period since publication is adjudged. Academically, a body of work focusing on human trafficking in Scotland is beginning to emerge. Through this research a clearer picture of the insidious and complex nature of human trafficking is being demonstrated. There is no doubt that a serious problem exists and that governmental bodies and commentators have started to campaign and research in the area. A specific question arising, from a legal perspective, concerns the nature and adequacy of the legislative response.

Citation

ARNELL, P. and OGILVIE, T. 2013. Human trafficking in Scotland: the legislative response. SCOLAG legal journal [online], 430, pages 164-165. Available from: http://www.scolag.org/system/files/2013_SCOLAG_164-165.pdf

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 31, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Jul 31, 2013
• Publication Date: Aug 31, 2013
• Deposit Date: Mar 9, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 9, 2017
• Journal: SCOLAG legal journal
• Electronic ISSN: 0264-8717
• Publisher: Scottish Legal Action Group (SCOLAG)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 430
• Pages: 164-165
• Keywords: Human trafficking; Scotland; Equalities and human rights commission (EHRC)
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2199
• Publisher URL: http://www.scolag.org/system/files/2013_SCOLAG_164-165.pdf