The safe house aims to protect girls claiming asylum at Gatwick

Unicef, in partnership with other children's organisations, is seeking to prevent plans by West Sussex County Council to close the facility.

The only one of its kind in the UK, the West Sussex Safe House was set up three years ago to prevent 16 and 17-year-old girls who claimed asylum at Gatwick falling prey to traffickers.

But the council says the six-bed facility, which operates from two semi-detached houses in a suburban street, is no longer needed because fewer girls are now at risk.

Sexual exploitation

Unicef has called on the Department of Health to fund the house, which it says is a model for how to care for and protect young women forced into prostitution.

A spokesman for Unicef said: "This safe house needs to be kept open.

"Looking across other countries in Europe it is by far the most effective means to help victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation."

He said the government should guarantee the future of the safe house to back up its new Sexual Offences Bill

Testify against traffickers

"You need a government-funded service to protect and take care of victims because only then can they feel safe and testify against the traffickers," he said.

But West Sussex County Council said the number of teenagers assessed to be at risk had dropped from 21 in 2000 to none in 2003.

"Undoubtedly the provision of a safe house has affected trafficking patterns in West Sussex," a spokeswoman said.

"However, it is less clear whether it is the disruption caused to the trafficking trade - and a subsequent move of that trade to other areas - or the service provided by the safe house that has been most effective."

Threaten retribution

The safe house supports young women in resisting traffickers who threaten retribution against themselves or their families if they do not co-operate.

But social services managers argue they can use the money saved by closing the house to help all young people under 18.

They also hope to provide more anonymous accommodation for victims because the location of the safe house is now widely known to traffickers.

"There is no intention to remove all protection and support to victims of child trafficking," the spokeswoman said.

The council, which is carrying out consultation, is expected to reach a decision later this summer.