This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Men account for more than two-fifths (41%) of adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales helped by the Salvation Army, contrary to the public perception that the crime almost exclusively affects women.

The finding comes in a survey by the charity, which provides specialist support for the adult victims of trafficking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

The Salvation Army, which began the support service six months ago, also dealt with the first recorded case of an individual being trafficked to Britain to have their organs harvested. The case, involving an unnamed woman brought to the UK by an organised gang, is understood to be the subject of a police investigation, the Telegraph reports.

The charity's survey found that 45% of those it supported had been forced into sexual exploitation, 43% were involved in labour exploitation and 8% were trafficked into domestic servitude.

This contradicted a survey of English and Welsh adults carried out by YouGov, which found that respondents thought 29% of all trafficked victims in England and Wales were male, and 68% of all trafficked victims were sexually exploited.

Between 1 July and 31 December 2011, the Salvation Army and its 12 subcontractors provided housing support, counselling, medical care, translation services and legal counselling to 112 women and 78 men.

The victims came from all over the world, with 58% from eastern Europe, 25% from Africa, 12% from Asia and 4% from within the UK.

Major Anne Read, the Salvation Army's anti-trafficking response co-ordinator, said: "Male or female, we are helping all people caught up in all types of trafficking to get them the support they need, when they need it."

Minister for justice, Crispin Blunt, said: "Human trafficking is often seen as predominantly affecting women – meaning that male victims are often overlooked and are forced to go without the support they so desperately need."

Two male victims from the Czech Republic were trafficked to the UK into forced labour after answering a newspaper advert for work as factory supervisors in England. They were sold several times to other gangmasters within the UK.

The Salvation Army gave them temporary accommodation and support until they moved to Scotland to start a new life.

Aleksander said the Salvation Army saved him. "It's sad but it's true; there are hundreds of people with similar stories to me, people who have been fraudulently bought and sold," he said.