The Church of Scotland has made a fresh commitment to tackle the “moral scandal” of human trafficking and modern slavery.

It has backed a declaration to work with the Scottish Government and other statutory services and sectors to eradicate the scourge on society.

Church of Scotland ministers and other faith leaders attended a seminar organised by a new charity called Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS) in May.

It has been set up to provide much needed aftercare to victims and support people who are reluctant to accept government help because of their fear of repercussions from traffickers.

Figures suggest that 40.3m people worldwide are enslaved, including 10- 13,000 in the UK.

The Very Rev Dr Derek Browning was among the attendees at the conference. He said: “It remains one of the great moral scandals of our time that human trafficking and modern day slavery not only continues but appears to be growing across the world and within our own country.

“Areas aff ected are to be found in the sex industry, nail bars, pop-up car washes, the farming and fishing industries, the hospitality industry, enforced begging, and domestic cleaning.

“Human trafficking and modern day slavery covers forced labour, sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, child slavery, forced or early marriage, and descent-based slavery where generations are born into slavery.”