BID TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING

The Body Shop in The Shires shopping centre in Trowbridge is fast gathering signatures in its campaign against human trafficking and shoppers are urged to support the petition.

Human trafficking is now the third and fastest growing criminal industry in the world and it is estimated that 1.8 million children are trafficked for sex in virtually every country, including our own.

The Body Shop® is now partnered with ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and the Somaly Mam Foundation to raise funds and awareness to combat this terrible epidemic.

The Shires shopping centre manager John Grinnell, right, was the first to sign the petition which is available for customers to sign at The Body Shop store in the centre.

“It’s a terrible slight on our country and the whole human race that human trafficking exits and that it appears to be growing,” he said.

“Anything we can do must be done to stop it. It shouldn’t be necessary to have to sign a petition, but I’m afraid it is and I’d appeal to everyone who comes to The Shires to take a few moments to sign one of the forms at The Body Shop. It’s the very least we can do.”

The nationwide campaign began on Thursday and The Body Shop assistants Alexis Doyle and Holly Baggott began collecting signatures. The campaign will run at least until September and the results will be sent to Prime Minister David Cameron.

All proceeds from the sale of The Body Shop’s Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream will go to support ECPAT and all net proceeds from the sale of  Bag for Life and gift bags will go to the Somaly Mam Foundation.

Purchase of these items will support the mission to raise awareness, fund prevention programs and bring immediate relief to children and young people affected by sex trafficking in our country and around the world.