Your Community Against Human Trafficking (YCAHT) is a campaign and support group that has grown out of our successful and highly respected work started through the Croydon Community Against Trafficking (CCAT).

We are a coalition of concerned citizens and community groups dedicated in our aim to stop the injustice of human trafficking. We have made a real difference in Croydon and are regularly invited to share our progress with interested groups around UK. 

As traffickers are experts at moving people and their operations around, we feel it is vital to share the tried and tested CCAT approach with many more communities throughout the UK.  We don’t just want to stop it happening in Croydon and end up moving the problem elsewhere. 

Therefore please join us in the fight to rid our towns and localities of this modern form of slavery that is Human Trafficking.

CCAT continues to campaign vigorously in the quest to free slaves of human trafficking in Croydon ensuring those in authority are aware of the problem and that it remains high on the agenda. At the same time CCAT works in partnership with the various services in Croydon to help and motivate them to improve their support for victims and to disrupt trafficking activity.

• To raise awareness of the horrors of human trafficking via CCAT in Croydon and via YCAHT in London and other communities
  
  
• To stimulate effective action through cooperation in order to stop trafficking
  
  
• To work with other agencies to liberate, protect and support trafficked people who have been, or are at risk of being exploited
  
  
• To assist in the disruption of the activities of human traffickers who profit from their illegal trade
  
  
• To help reduce the use of commercial services in Croydon and other local communities if there is an indication of trafficked people being exploited.

In working towards these aims we will: Network and co-operate with local, regional and national agencies including faith groups, community groups, anti-trafficking organisations, campaigning groups, support agencies and research institutes and seek to respect human rights at all times. Please contact us to see if we can work together.

• CCAT is a voluntary coalition of people from all walks of life who can no longer stay silent and tolerate the oppression and enslavement of people, mainly women and often under-age girls, that exists in our community. These women and children are prevented from living life with the freedom they are entitled to as  human beings. They are held captive by Traffickers, Brothel Owners, Pimps, Maids (receptionists in a brothel) and by our silence, ignorance and passive acceptance of the problem.
  
  
• CCAT was formed by a small group of individuals who realised what was happening in their local community. This modern slavery is happening in streets like yours, houses and flats next door to you. It is a hidden and underground business. The problem is perpetuated largely by men, the customers, seeking self gratification at the expense of the freedom of another human being. Croydon is now known to be one of the main entry “ports” for this violated human cargo and has the third largest sex industry in the UK.

• Just over five years ago independent research suggested there were over 100 premises selling sex advertising in the Croydon area. Of these, at least 50 were openly offering sex for sale. Within these establishments, it was estimated 84% of the women working there were foreign nationals, many of whom were likely to have been trafficked. This also meant they were operated by organised trafficking and prostitution rings.   CCAT worked closely with the authorities to halve the number of establishments and continues to do so.
  
  
• CCAT feel that we have to act to stop this injustice and will use our professional skills, citizen power, advocacy opportunities and our spare time to stop this from continuing in our communities.

• Presented in the House of Commons and at Conferences in Europe how CCAT through its volunteers achieves community action
  
  
• Regularly obtain information on local illegal establishments where trafficking is suspected and helped achieve a reduction from over 100 in 2007 to around 45 in 2011
  
  
• Quarterly meeting with the local Police where Information and Data is provided and reviewed for action
  
  
• Successfully campaigned to stop advertising of sex establishments, dubious saunas, massage parlours and nail bars in Newsquest Group newspapers across UK including The Croydon Guardian
  
  
• Chosen as Croydon's Champion Charity in 2011

• Held a number of planned events that have raised awareness with the public and ensured that preventing trafficking remains high on the authorities’ agenda 

• Part of working group (including local council, UKBA and police) contributing to the introduction of the National Referral Mechanism in anticipation of the London Olympics 2012
  
  
• Regularly asked to talk to community groups across UK to help them understand the issues about trafficking and to help them with some simple actions
  
  
• Continue to go into local schools to talk to 15 to 17 year olds about modern day slavery including trafficking
  
  
• Led and co-ordinated local policy makers and decision makers to put trafficking higher on their agendas and to work closer together