Traffickers exploiting young refugees in French camps, says Unicef
The document, which draws on six months of interviews and is due to be published on Thursday, paints a disturbing picture of the abuse of unaccompanied minors in camps in northern France. It says children are being subjected to sexual violence by traffickers who promise passage to the UK.
Children in the camps also told researchers they have been forced to work and commit crimes such as opening lorry doors to enable adults to be smuggled across the Channel.
The interviews reveal the trauma the children have suffered getting to Europe, their experiences in the camps and the risks they are taking to be reunited with family members, despite many having a safe and legal route available.
The home secretary, Theresa May, is expected to face questions from MPs on Monday about progress made on the government’s promise to fast-track unaccompanied child refugees from Europe into Britain.
Last month, in the face of a backbench rebellion, David Cameron made a U-turn over his opposition to taking child refugees stranded in Europe and pledged to let in an unspecified number in consultation with local authorities. He has promised to speed up family reunification, but the government has said it could take up to seven months to receive the first children.
About 150 refugee children in Calais have the right to enter the UK because they have families here, according to Citizens UK, a charity working to help them. It estimates that at the current rate it would take a year for all 150 to be reunited with their families.
A number of Syrian children who have recently found refuge in Britain via the family reunion policy have written an open letter urging the home secretary to “take our friends out of danger”.
