The grim reality of trafficking for sexual exploitation was shown in the powerful drama ‘Doing Money’ broadcast on BBC 2 this week.

The drama is based on the real-life story of Ana*, a student nurse who was kidnapped from the street in London and trafficked for sexual exploitation around Ireland. The film powerfully shows how Ana was controlled by pimps from her home country of Romania, who beat her, denied her food, took away her passport and made threats against her family back home so they could make money, advertising her for sex on escort websites. All this in rented properties on ordinary residential streets and yet no one seemed to notice.

Ana was instrumental in helping to introduce Northern Ireland’s human trafficking legislation, including the provision to criminalise the purchase of sex in Northern Ireland, after sharing her testimony in Stormont.

CARE was also privileged to work with Lord Morrow to ensure criminalising the purchase of sex was included in Northern Ireland’s Human Trafficking Act in 2015. There have already been two landmark convictions for this crime, highlighting the effectiveness of this legislation.

We must not look the other way

“The scene in the motorway service station when Ana gets her glasses back, when you talk to her about that, she says ‘I put my glasses on and I could see the people but they still didn’t seem able to see me. We were filthy, we were hardly dressed, we were bruised, who did people walking by with their trays of food think we were?’ Their invisibility was very shocking.” – Gwyneth Hughes who interviewed Ana and wrote the drama

Modern slavery is often hidden in plain sight. Learn how to spot the signs. You can report a case of modern slavery by calling the helpline on: 0800 0121 700 or submit a form online. Unseen also have an app you can download onto your phone or tablet.

Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK that criminalises the purchase of sex.

The programme explicitly references the connection between demand for prostitution and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

A recent report highlighted that “Britain is currently a highly profitable and low risk destination for sex traffickers”.

Introducing laws to criminalise the purchase of sex holds the buyers responsible for their actions, rather than focusing the criminal law on those who provide sexual services. It is also proven to create a more hostile place for traffickers, in that it acts as a deterrent for men looking to buy sex, which then reduces the demand.

• In Scotland the SNP have passed this as their party policy, but as yet have not introduced any new legislation

• In England and Wales, the APPG on Prostitution has shown cross-party support for changing the laws to criminalise the buyer.

“How to combat demand is not a big mystery. As with any other form of violence against women, it starts with the law sending a clear signal that exploiting someone by paying them for sex is never acceptable, and that those who do will be held to account.” – Gavin Shuker MP (Lab), Former Chair of the APPG on Prostitution.

To tackle human trafficking Governments must take steps to reduce demand by making it an offence to pay for sex.

CARE’s Senior Policy Officer – Human Trafficking, Louise Gleich said:

“CARE commends Ana’s bravery in telling her story, which helped pass crucial legislation in Northern Ireland and will have helped many people find freedom

“CARE will continue to press the Governments in the rest of the UK to bring forward legislation that protects the most vulnerable women from commercial sexual exploitation.”

Read more about our work on human trafficking here.

*Ana's name has been changed to protect her identity.