Human Trafficking and Exploitation is the commodification and abuse of people for gain. It is a gross abuse of human rights, happens globally and harms individuals and communities across the world, including in Scotland. Not all cases of human trafficking or exploitation are easy to understand or detect and often the crime may look like something else, such as people smuggling or working illegally.
This Easy Read booklet explains CSE and how it can happen. It breaks down all the different types of CSE, the risks to women, and how to get support.
There is also a video version of this booklet.
This booklet is directly aimed at women involved in commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). It aims to help people to stay safe and know their rights. The booklet highlights the different risks women may face while selling or exchanging sexual activity, with safety tips and strategies.
The booklet is informed by the experiences of women who are or have been involved in selling or exchanging sex or images.
This report explores the intersections between women’s lived experience of learning disability and involvement in commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). It collected data and experiences from support staff in the learning disabilities and wider support sectors in order to understand the dynamics of learning disabled women's experiences of CSE. It also explores service responses and contains recommendations for future work.
This is an ASPire webinar from May 2025. Its theme is commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and human trafficking. It has sessions from Operation Begonia (Police Scotland and Scottish Government's collaborative approach to challenging demand for prostitution and supporting those with experience of it); the Women's Support Project (on making the links between CSE and other forms of violence against women and girls) and the TARA project (on human trafficking and exploitation in Scotland).
This e-learning provides an overview of the extent of human trafficking in Scotland and supports professionals to spot the signs indicating risks to individuals. There is also some practical information about the health needs of trafficked people, with an emphasis on a practitioner's role in identifying and responding appropriately to trafficked individuals.
This e-learning is part of TURAS and a free account is required to access the resource.
Guidance to support a shared understanding of criminal exploitation to help assist with early identification of those at risk from serious organised crime. This guidance also applies to criminal exploitation which is not linked to serious organised crime. The guidance also contains information on human trafficking.
An Act of the Scottish Parliament to make provision about human trafficking and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour, including provision about offences and sentencing, provision for victim support and provision to reduce activity related to offences.
Trafficking can involve victims being sexually exploited or forced into the role of a servant, or trapped in forced labour. Nail bars, car washes and construction are amongst the industries where potential cases in Scotland have been reported.
This toolkit clarifies the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) process for Scottish First Responders by explaining the process in detail and in an easy-to-follow format. It aims to help ensure that the quality of information included in NRM referrals is high, and that first responders better understand the implications of a referral and the NRM process.
Please note: this toolkit does not reflect the most recent range of provisions within Part 5 of the Nationality and Borders Act or the amendments to the Reasonable Grounds (RG) test.
The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. This guidance is to assist designated first responders in completing the referral form before it is submitted. The guidance includes the definition of modern slavery, what happens when a referral is received, and how potential victims are supported.
This quiz accompanies the powerpoint presentation on recognising and responsding to human trafficking. Ten questions, on facts about and understanding of human trafficking, can be used to promote cement knowledge on this topic. Answers are included.
