Chai Brady
A poster of the film 'Doing Money' broadcast by BBC and shown by RTE Irish charity Ruhama have welcomed the “success of the PSNI” after new figures revealed they rescued 36 potential trafficking victims in the first six months of the 2018/19 financial year.
In total 36 victims were rescued in the 2017/18 financial year in the North of Ireland.
CEO Sarah Benson told The Irish Catholic that a film broadcast by the BBC on Monday called Doing Money – shown by RTÉ at the end of October – highlights the fact human trafficking is an “issue hidden in plain sight”.
“More training and awareness is needed, as victims are often kept in fear,” she said, “they may not report in the first instance, especially if asked in front of other people.”
“Doing Money is a stark reminder of this.”
Gang
The film is based on the real life story of Anna, who was trafficked and forced to work as a sex slave in Belfast. After being sold to a gang she was moved from the Republic to the North of Ireland. Her passport and phone were taken and she was told her mother would be killed in Romania if she left.
Ms. Benson said the film highlighted the success of cross-border cooperation adding that Ruhama hoped for an “increase in human trafficking convictions” in the Republic.
The Central Statistics Office recorded 16 human trafficking offences in the Republic in the first six months of 2017, and 11 in the first six months of this year.