BY LUCY CAULKETT
“The report shows that this young woman was a victim of child trafficking from Pakistan into the UK for the purpose of domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. She was trafficked into the UK in 2000.
“The members of a British family of Pakistani descent passed her off as an adult when she was believed to be a girl of ten.
“She was finally rescued at the age of 20. Their action saved this young woman from a dreadful ordeal.
“The young woman has recovered well and is now thriving but nothing can ever give her back the childhood and innocence they stole from her.
“This case review reveals that none of the government, council and NHS agencies she came into contact with suspected she was a child or that anything was amiss until the trading standards officer visited the house with police in June 2009 and realised that the young woman was vulnerable and that something was very wrong with the family dynamics.
EVIL: MR ASHAR
“The family had worked hard to maintain their cruel deception over the years and as the young victim was deaf and unable to communicate she could not tell the authorities of her situation.
“With the benefit of hindsight and much greater awareness nowadays of human trafficking we can now see points where agencies could have recognised warning signs and acted. Sadly this did not happen here and on behalf of all the agencies she came into contact with, Salford Safeguarding Boards apologise for this.”
Dr Pugh continued: “The review contains a number of recommendations which we have already begun sharing at local level and intend to share widely and nationally so there is greater awareness and action against this evil trade in human beings.
“These recommendations include better sharing of information between agencies, more training in human trafficking and safeguarding for government and local government staff, and the use of independent interpreters rather than relying on family or friends