Scottish Anti-Trafficking & Exploitation Centre

Legal Advice

We provide free legal information, advice and representation to individuals affected by trafficking in Scotland regardless of age, gender or nationality. We provide legal services which are gender and child sensitive, human rights based and trauma informed.

We do so in a range of civil law matters related to an individual’s experience and recovery including, but not limited to, identification, immigration, family reunion and compensation.

Policy, Research and Training

We are members of the Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG), a coalition established in 2009 to monitor the UK’s implementation of European anti-trafficking legislation. The group uses a human rights-based approach to examine all types of human trafficking, including internal trafficking and the trafficking of British nationals, to protect the well-being and best interests of victims of human trafficking.

Read the ATMG’s 2019 report:”Real People, Real Lives”

We are also a member of a current expert international advisory group with the OSCE on human trafficking.

ASSIST: Gender Specific Legal Assistance and Integration Support for Third Country National Female Victims of Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation

The centre has been part of an innovative anti-trafficking project to assist trafficked migrant women funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (EC AMIF: 821581).

The project focused on the integration of trafficked women recovering from sexual exploitation, taking into account the gender dimension of trafficking in Europe and the gender specific harms and trauma associated with trafficking for sexual exploitation.

The aim of the project was to provide trafficked migrant women with legal advice, information and support in accessing material assistance (social and financial). Such assistance is particularly important in cases involving sexual exploitation. It is acknowledged in such cases victims often experience a significant trauma and lack the life skills, training or experience required to quickly integrate into the job market and thus provide for them or any dependants.

Resources

The project has produced a report on best practice principles of working with women affected by human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The full report and summary report can be downloaded here:

• Assisting Trafficked Women: Best practice principles of gender-specific legal assistance and integration supports to third country national female victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (PDF)
• Summary of best practice principles (PDF)

Through the project, women with lived experience of trafficking and JustRight Scotland have also co-produced a know-your-rights leaflet for trafficked migrant women on their rights and support in Scotland, which you can access below.

Outreach: JustRight@TARA

We have established a collaboration with our partners at the Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA) to provide a free Legal Information and Advice Hub to women who have experienced trafficking for sexual exploitation within TARA service premises.

JustRight@TARA provides legal information and advice in the following areas:-

Identification

• Identification of human trafficking/National Referral Mechanism (where there is no other lawyer providing this advice)
• Engagement with criminal justice process
• Immigration advice (where there is no other lawyer providing this advice)
• Compensation
• Access to safe housing, support and other entitlements
• Advice regarding other legal processes that may be relevant such as child protection, family law, family reunion etc.

At the moment, this service is only available internally to TARA service users. It is hoped the Hub will raise awareness and knowledge of the rights of trafficked women in Scotland who can face multiple barriers to accessing justice and be expanded to other individuals who have experienced trafficking and parts of Scotland going forward.

The service is currently supported by JRS and TARA with funds provided by the Scottish Government.

Legal Factsheets

Know Your Rights! Information for agricultural workers on the Seasonal Worker Visa in Scotland (PDF)

This factsheet covers the rights of agricultural workers on the Seasonal Worker Visa in Scotland. It covers your rights in employment, to access healthcare, housing and social benefits, and what to do if you think your rights are not being protected.  It was written by Focus on Labour Exploitation and Fife Migrants Forum, with JustRight Scotland, for SASA at the Scottish Government.

Know Your Rights! Information for EEA seasonal agricultural workers in Scotland with Settled or Pre-Settled Status (PDF)

This factsheet covers the rights of EEA seasonal agricultural workers in Scotland from EEA countries who hold Settled Status or Pre-Settled Status. It covers your rights in employment, to access healthcare, housing and social benefits, and what to do if you think your rights are not being protected.  It was written by Focus on Labour Exploitation and Fife Migrants Forum, with JustRight Scotland, for SASA at the Scottish Government.

Know Your Rights! Information for Trafficked Women from Abroad in Scotland (PDF)

This Know Your Rights! booklet provides information for Trafficked Women from Abroad on your rights and support in Scotland. Being a victim of trafficking or exploitation can have a long-term impact on you and affect many parts of your life. You may also find it difficult to adjust to living in a new country or place. But you are not alone. There is help for you to start recovering from your experiences and help you settle into your new life. This booklet gives information on some of the help available to you and who to contact

This factsheet is also available in:

• عربي (Arabic)
• 中国人 (Chinese)
• русский (Russian)
• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
• shqip (Albanian)