On Wednesday 30th July, Restore Glasgow joined the global movement to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Perhaps you are here because you saw us in Glasgow City Centre, raising awareness of trafficking – both globally and right here in our city.
Five Restore members and friends came together to highlight the importance of the day and our mission to make Glasgow an inhospitable place for human traffickers. We were especially pleased to be joined by MP for Glasgow North, Martin Rhodes, who stopped by for a chat and showed support for our work (see the photo, below). We handed out almost 200 cards with a link to this blog (if you’ve landed here because of one of those cards – hi again, we’re so glad you found us!), and had some thoughtful conversations about our work to help make Glasgow a safer, more informed city. Please do drop a comment below, or get in touch if you would like to learn more about what we do or how to get involved.
If you’re looking for our free Spot the Signs PDF, please click here: What Can I Do About Human Trafficking?
The facts below come from the UNODC’s Blue Heart Campaign — learn more here.
“Human trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation”
Human trafficking continues to be a global threat driven by organized crime. More and more victims are being trafficked every year, across greater distances, with greater violence, for longer periods of time and for greater profit. From 2020 to 2023, there were more than 200,000 detected victims globally, which is just the tip of the iceberg. The actual number of unreported cases is believed to be significantly higher.
Organized criminal networks are driving this victimization and exploitation, using migration flows, global supply chains, legal and economic loopholes and digital platforms to facilitate cross-border trafficking at a massive scale. They profit from forced labour, sexual exploitation and coercion into criminal activities, such as online scams and drug smuggling.
Despite some progress, criminal justice responses remain inadequate in tackling this rapidly evolving crime. To end human trafficking, law enforcement must enforce strict laws, conduct proactive investigations, strengthen cross-border cooperation, target criminal finances, and leverage technology to identify and dismantle trafficking networks. Ensuring justice for survivors requires holding perpetrators accountable and providing a victim-centred approach to protection, support and access to justice.
This year’s campaign highlights the vital role of law enforcement and the criminal justice system in dismantling organized trafficking networks while ensuring a victim-centred approach.
We particularly encourage law enforcement agencies, including police departments, border security, international agencies, and specialized task forces, to take an active role by utilizing online platforms and conducting in-person outreach at high-traffic areas such as transportation hubs. This way we can reach a wide audience, raise public awareness and promote reporting channels for suspected trafficking cases. Your active involvement bridges the gap between the campaign’s global reach and local realities, ensuring it effectively connects with those impacted by human trafficking.
[The above text is provided by UNODC, read more about what you can do about human trafficking here]
Join us on Wednesday 30th July 2025 in Glasgow City Centre, from 1pm – your voice matters in the fight to #EndHumanTrafficking
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