The Scottish Parliament recently approved new laws against trafficking in human beings. The new legislation, the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill, tightens the definition of human trafficking and imposes a maximum sentence of life in prison for convicted traffickers. The laws also direct prosecutors to avoid prosecuting trafficking victims for crimes committed while they were being trafficked. To mark anti-slavery day, Scottish officials stated, “[w]e will ensure that victims of human trafficking will be provided with the support and assistance they need . . . Trafficking has no place in our communities.”
Compiled from: Anti-slavery day marked in Scotland, BBC News (October 18, 2015)