Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents

For trends in trafficking, CPS also has access to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) assessment
data, based on potential victims 134 referred to them. Data is available through the National Crime
Agency website.
This data also allows exploration of the gender of potential victims.
The NRM in England and Wales received slightly more referrals of cases in 2015 135 with 1,648 female
victims compared with 1,416 male victims. The data indicates differences in gender and trends under
different types of claimed exploitation of trafficking and modern slavery:
Sexual exploitation or domestic servitude: 88% potential female victim, 12% potential male
victims 136 .
Labour exploitation: 86% potential male victim, 14% potential female victims 137 .
From 2014 to 2015, labour exploitation of men and boys rose from 554 to 931 potential
victims (a rise of 68.1%).
From 2014 to 2015, sexual exploitation of women and girls rose from 753 to 946 potential
victims (a rise of 25.6%); domestic servitude of women and girls rose from 237 to 314
potential victims (a rise of 32.5%) 138 .
Legislation
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 introduced new powers to help police prevent or prohibit convicted
defendants from activities which would enable them to commit offences of human trafficking or
slavery and forced labour. These new orders are called Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders
(STPOs) and Risk Orders (STROs). They are civil orders enabling the court to impose both restrictions
and positive requirements upon those convicted of, or at risk of committing, a relevant offence.
The CPS has drafted and advised on a number of granted orders since the end of July 2015. To grant
an order the court must be satisfied that there is a risk that the defendant may commit further
offences and that it is necessary to protect others from harm. STPOs are effective when the
defendant has completed their sentence and can last up to five years; STROs are effective
immediately. A breach of an Order is an offence punishable with up to five years’ imprisonment.
134 NRM Data refers to potential victims, not persons who have received a positive conclusive grounds decision
that they are a victim of trafficking.
135 This follows proactive investigations in relation to trafficking for labour exploitation.
136 Of 1,430 potential female victims – i.e.1,648 excluding organ harvesting (1) and unknown exploitation (217)
137 Of 1,083 potential male victims – i.e.1,416 excluding organ harvesting (4) and unknown exploitation (329)
138 Note there was a greater rise in the % of potential male victims of labour exploitation in 2015 (from the
previous year) than potential female victims for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude – but the overall
volumes were lower (931 potential male victims of labour exploitation and 1260 potential female victims of
sexual exploitation and domestic servitude).
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