Human trafficking is an abhorrent crime; it involves stripping away the human rights, dignity and freedom of a person and subjugates them to complete control by a person or gang. There are an estimated 10,000 – 13,000 victims of modern day slavery still trapped in this horrific cycle of abuse in the UK alone. Children and adults are being exploited for sex, domestic servitude, forced labour, criminal activity – and even organ harvesting.

CARE's Scottish Policy Officer, Dr Gordon Macdonald, in his latest Friends of the Scotsman column turns his attention to what can be done to help tackle the issue of human trafficking in Scotland. Gordon writes about how Scotland must legislate to tackle the commercial sex trade: 'We cannot ignore that human trafficking for sex exists because of the commercial sex industry. By legislating strongly in response, Scotland would give dignity back to those who have survived trafficking for sexual exploitation and give hope to those still caught up in this brutal cycle.'

To read the article in full do head over to The Scotsman here: Dr Gordon Macdonald: Legislate to beat the human traffickers.

To read more about the latest work CARE are doing to assist and support victims of human trafficking do click here.