Combatting the Trafficking of Vietnamese Nationals to Britain: Cooperative Challenges for Vietnam and the UK

• DOI: 10.3390/socsci12010010
• Publication Date: 2022-12-27T07:50:01Z
• Authors: Chung Pham
• Keywords: Vietnamese

The issue of Vietnamese nationals consistently having some the highest numbers referrals into UK’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is increasingly apparent. However, this did not gather nationwide attention until Essex tragedy October 2019 which saw 39 found lifeless in a lorry after they were brought country by criminal network human traffickers and smugglers. This paper seeks to understand circumstances these victims trafficking Britain reviewing situation both countries—Vietnam UK. Three instances trafficked UK have been chosen as case studies. Through semi-structured interviews, issues regarding how voluntary migration led vulnerable people slavery will be explored analysed alongside review literature field. reveals complexity matter, primarily derived from multinational nature different attitudes approaches various countries involved, well difficulty facing authorities when combating particular crime involving specific group people, especially terms victim support. ultimate goal offer practitioners fresh challenges supporting victims, redirect their focus on obstacles addressing trafficking. These include prevalence of—often illicit—labour-exporting companies Vietnam, initial engagement labour relationships later become coercive, failure Vietnam agree what constitutes genuine victim.