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<p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify both human trafficking and child abuse
cases by way of a database monitoring flag applied to the electronic case record.</p><p>The
number of defendants prosecuted for flagged human trafficking offences where the child
abuse flag was also applied are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2012-2013</p></td><td><p>2013-2014</p></td><td><p>2014-2015</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>19</p></td><td><p>59</p></td><td><p>24</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>The figures provided represent the number of defendants prosecuted. Cases of
trafficking for child exploitation (particularly child sexual exploitation) can involve
networks of multi-defendants who have sexually exploited young female victims. Therefore,
in the relatively low numbers of cases cross flagged, a small number of additional
cases in one year involving upwards of 9 to 12 defendants each will have a significant
effect on the annual figures. This, in part, explains the reduction in the number
of defendants prosecuted for both human trafficking and child abuse; down from 59
in 2013/14 to 24 in 2014/15.</p>
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