Human trafficking alert over 2014 Glasgow Games

MSPs fear that next year’s Commonwealth Games could lead to an influx of victims of human trafficking to Scotland, the European Commission’s anti-trafficking co-ordinator has heard.

Major events featuring such as Usain Bolt generate risk. Picture: Reuters

Myria Vassiliadou, the first person specifically tasked by the European Union’s governing body to tackle trafficking, has urged the Scottish Government to make people who procure sex and consumer goods from victims its top anti-trafficking priority.

Studies have shown that authorities must be vigilant to human trafficking during large sporting events, she told Holyrood’s European and External Relations Committee.

Human trafficking is worth $32 billion (£20bn), Ms Vassiliadou said, equivalent to around two-thirds of the entire Scottish Budget. Three-fifths of victims of trafficking in the EU are EU citizens, she said, adding that they are trafficked for sex; for forced labour in sectors such as construction, agriculture and health; for benefit fraud; and for crime and organ removal.

Labour MSP Hanzala Malik said: “We’re going to have the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and, like many others, I am very fearful that nearer the time there may be an influx of victims, and we really need to be ready for that. We would like to think that we are reasonably clean compared to our counterparts around Europe and we wish to retain that reputation.”

Ms Vassiliadou added: “It’s very important when it comes to large-scale events, especially sporting events. Sometimes we try to undermine the importance of that. But a lot of studies demonstrate that we have to be very vigilant indeed.”