Men being trafficked into Scotland as gay sex slaves
Two separate incidents of men being trafficked into gay sex slavery have been discovered in Scotland.
In one case, a young man was brought over from Africa last year after being told he would work in pornography.
He was held captive in a flat in Glasgow and forced to sleep with men until he managed to escape and was flown home.
The second case, also of a man from Africa who was brought to Glasgow, was in the last three months.
The incidents are thought to be the first cases of men being used to sell sex in Scotland. It is estimated that there are around 700 trafficked women in the UK.
Julian Heng, an NHS worker who runs a support group for male prostitutes, told the Daily Record that his group was called in to help the two men.
He said: “Whatever happens with women involved in prostitution, we will usually see happening with men. It tends to take a couple of years, that’s all.
“So just like we are aware of women being trafficked into Scotland for prostitution, I think we need to be aware that it will happen more with men.
“It is something we are going to have to be vigilant about. It is very much a new feature in Scotland but it is something that will happen here.”
Trafficking victims are brought into the country under the promise of paid work. But they then find themselves forced to sell sex, or usually in the case of men, do manual labour, to repay travelling and living expenses to their traffickers.
Mr Heng said: “There is a Pretty Woman myth that it will be glamorous and well paid. The reality is grim and the majority of men are earning a pittance.”
