One of Soroptimist International's aims is to end human trafficking and all violence against women.

In so doing, the organisation also raises concerns for the welfare of men and boys in respect of the former issue

Four representatives from SI Tenby visited Simon Hart at his January surgery in order to seek his support in the battle against human trafficking and slavery.

SI Tenby president Dilys Jenkinson presented Simon Hart with a most comprehensive report, compiled by programme action officer Dr. Anne Kelly, giving a thorough overview of the extent of slavery, grooming, trafficking and FGM in the UK.

Based on these findings, president Dilys then gave a detailed insight into SI Tenby's ongoing programme to combat these heinous crimes.

This included such activities as the schools competition in 2008 on the subject of 'Modern Day Slavery, culminating in an exhibition at the local museum in 2009, the launch of a booklet collating the winning entries in 2009 at the National Assembly for Wales to raise money for BAWSO, various presentations for other voluntary organisations both locally and nationally throughout 2010 and, most recently, leading a Forum in 2011, in collaboration with Dyfed Powys Police and Barnardo's Cymru, on Modern Day Slavery, Internal Trafficking and Internet Grooming.

Simon Hart responded as follows:"I am very grateful to Soroptimist International for taking the time to brief me fully on this issue. It is all too easy to think of issues such as human trafficking as something that only affects large cities, but last year's court case involving an organised crime gang operating out of a house in Castlemartin proves that it is happening everywhere.

"In that case, the gang were trafficking girls from Nigeria in the UK and telling them they would be trained as hairdressers and seamstresses, but they were being used for the purposes of prostitution. However, we are not only talking about Nigerian or Eastern European girls being brought into the country illegally. Girls, especially vulnerable ones who might be in care, are being taken from their homes in South Wales.

"I have written to Dyfed-Powys Police asking them to look into setting up a multi-disciplinary project board against trafficking, such as that run by Gwent Police.

"I am also looking into the possibility of holding a debate in Westminster Hall in the House of Commons to discuss how much this issue affects Wales."

SI Tenby welcome his enthusiastic support in tackling the problem of trafficking and related activities in the Wales and look forward to attending the proposed debate in Westminster.