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Gay news: 'They weren't asylum seekers or refugees, they had actually been trafficked into Scotland from Africa'
Scotland
Scottish trade in African gay sex slaves revealed
In the first known cases of their kind, two separate incidents of men being trafficked into gay sex slavery in Scotland have been revealed.
Both men, who were in their 20s, were smuggled in from Africa and imprisoned in properties in Glasgow, with one forced to take part in pornography and the other sold into prostitution.
Julian Heng, who is the service manager of the NHS Open Road support project for male prostitutes, told the Daily Record that the organisation had been called upon to help the two men.
He said: "We have had a couple of requests for telephone support for professionals who were supporting two separate cases of men who had been trafficked into the country.
"They weren't asylum seekers or refugees, they had actually been trafficked into Scotland from Africa."
The first incident occurred a year ago but the man managed to escape and was later flown home. The second incident occurred within the last three months, and Heng warned that the trade was likely to increase.
"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."
