AIR crew on flights to Scotland are to become key players in the war on human trafficking by being trained to look out for victims and criminals, in a new effort to tackle slavery and prostitution.
Virgin Atlantic, which puts on seasonal flights between Glasgow and Orlando, Florida, is the first airline to take on the role, with the help of the UK Borders Agency and anti-trafficking campaigners have urged other airlines to follow suit.
Cabin crew will also have access to a 24-hour helpline to report concerns to UKBA.
Earlier this month Stephen Craig, 34, and Sarah Beukan, 22, became the first people ever sentenced for human trafficking in Scotland.
However, they were responsible for moving women around the UK, rather than bringing them into the country and there has still not been a prosecution in Scotland for traffickers working on an international basis, although campaigners are convinced it is taking place.
A spokeswoman for Glasgow Community and Safety Services, which runs the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (Tara) said: “People are trafficked from all over the world to meet the demands of the global sex industry. Airline travel is commonly used by traffickers – sometimes in conjunction with false documentation – therefore we support this proactive action by Virgin Atlantic to train their employees to spot signs of trafficking.
Raising awareness of this appalling industry is vital to disrupt the criminals and assist the authorities in tackling this problem. We would encourage other airlines to adopt similar policies.”
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