In recent years, the training provided by Northern Irish charity Invisible Traffick has led to a remarkable tenfold increase in human trafficking detections at Larne Port. This success highlights the crucial role education plays in combatting human trafficking, as port staff become better equipped to identify potential victims and disrupt the operations of criminal gangs.
According to Belfast Live, Invisible Traffick has been actively training organisations across Northern Ireland to spot the tell-tale signs of human trafficking. Their work at Larne Port, Co Antrim, serves as a powerful example of how targeted education can lead to real change. Since the charity began training staff in 2019, detections have increased from just eight cases initially to over 90 per year.
Making Ports a Hostile Environment for Traffickers
Larne Port, with less security infrastructure than the larger Belfast Port, had become a hotspot for human trafficking. However, since receiving training, port staff have been able to detect and disrupt trafficking activities effectively, making it a less viable option for traffickers. This has caused criminal gangs to look for other routes, showcasing the power of education and vigilance on the front lines.
Human traffickers don’t limit themselves to ports; they exploit other transportation avenues, including airlines and even refrigerated lorries, to smuggle victims. Recognising the need for a broader response, Invisible Traffick launched a new e-learning platform on Anti-Slavery Day. This platform is tailored to provide role-specific training, ensuring that every port worker has the tools they need to recognise and stop trafficking activities. The charity hopes to expand this platform to train staff across various transportation sectors, aiming to make the UK and Ireland increasingly hostile environments for traffickers.
Protecting Lives Through Awareness and Action
Founder and CEO of Invisible Traffick, Gayle Bunting, stressed the urgency of their work: “In 2024, it is appalling that we still need to highlight human trafficking and modern-day slavery as an ongoing issue. This is happening here on the Island of Ireland and across the UK. We must take a stand and say: Enough is Enough.”
The charity’s goal is not only to disrupt trafficking networks but also to protect young people and vulnerable adults from becoming targets of exploitation. By educating children and youth, Invisible Traffick seeks to prevent them from falling prey to traffickers’ coercive tactics.
The charity's initiatives, such as their new e-learning platform, also strengthen the awareness of frontline staff, who are often the first line of defence. "Our new e-learning platform equips Port and Security staff with the knowledge and tools needed to identify and stop traffickers in their tracks, making our ports the first line of defence in the fight against modern slavery," Bunting added. "Together, we aim to ensure that the Island of Ireland and the UK become increasingly hostile places for traffickers, where exploitation cannot take root or thrive."
Government Support for Anti-Trafficking Education
The launch event for the e-learning platform, held at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast, received strong support from Junior Ministers Aisling Reilly and Pam Cameron. Reilly commended Invisible Traffick for their ongoing work, recognising that “human trafficking is a terrible crime that exploits the most vulnerable people in society.”
Pam Cameron echoed this sentiment, noting, “These crimes hide in plain sight and thrive in silence. They are an affront to our values as a society and undermine the fundamental principles we all cherish—freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
Education as a Force for Change
The success at Larne Port demonstrates the transformative power of education in combatting human trafficking. By raising awareness and providing the right tools, Invisible Traffick has made it clear that training is more than just a preventative measure; it is an essential defence against a crime that often goes unnoticed.
As Invisible Traffick expands its educational programs, the hope is that more organisations will embrace this model, reinforcing a united front that makes Northern Ireland, and the UK as a whole, an increasingly difficult environment for traffickers. Education, awareness, and vigilance are proving to be among the most powerful tools in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.
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