SOME people will have been shocked to be confronted with the subject of sex trafficking while out doing the shopping yesterday.

But this year’s Bullfinch trial at the Old Bailey, in which seven men were convicted of subjecting young girls to horrific sexual abuse in Oxford, has shown that turning a blind eye to what has been happening on our doorstep is not an option.

To be fair to shoppers in Cornmarket Street, they did not shy away from the harsh realities of 21st century trafficking and many were happy to sign an Oxcat (Oxford Community Against Trafficking) petition calling for the Government to appoint an Anti-Trafficking Commissioner.

Oxcat patron Catherine Bearder, member of the European Parliament for Oxford, spoke out against trafficking in the city where two men were convicted in 2011 of trafficking young women and then forcing them to work as prostitutes.

Oxcat’s petition was timely on World Anti-Slavery Day, when new figures revealed that there were 1,186 victims of human trafficking in the UK last year, a 25 per cent increase on the previous year.

The problem is not going to go away overnight, and Oxcat should be supported as it continues to raise awareness of an issue that most people would rather forget.

The group’s call for an anti-trafficking commissioner is a reminder that the exploitation of young women and girls needs to be constantly monitored in Oxford and all across the UK.