Anti-Human Trafficking Resources
Watch MP Viersen’s latest event on human trafficking:
On March 10, 2022, MP Viersen interviewed Shelley Walker (CEO of the Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada) and Sarah Bowers-Peter (Director of the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers) about how Canadian truckers are joining the fight against human trafficking.
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking involves recruiting, transporting, or holding victims to exploit them or to help someone else exploit them, generally for sexual purposes or work. It is affecting families, communities, and most of all, the lives of victims right here in Canada.
Every day, at-risk populations are coerced into selling their bodies for sex or labour by human traffickers.
To combat this heinous crime, action is required from all corners of society.
But action cannot come without awareness – education is our strongest tool in the fight against human trafficking.
Check out the resources below to learn more about human trafficking.
Learn the facts: Canada
- 77% of human trafficking in Canada are sex trafficking cases, 7% are forced labour cases.
- 89% of human trafficking victims are under the age of 35.
- 2019 marked the highest rate recorded for human trafficking in Canada.
- Nova Scotia has the highest provincial rate of human trafficking per capita.
Resources
Learn the facts: International
- An estimated 40.3 million people are trapped in forms of modern slavery internationally, which includes human trafficking (sex trafficking, forced labour) and forced marriages.
- Children make up 25% and account for 10 million of all the slaves worldwide.
- 1 in 200 people are trapped in modern slavery.
Resources
Parents
There are a number of things that you can do as a parent to help prevent your child from being a victim of trafficking.
- Know the signs.
The best way to protect your child from human trafficking is to know the signs and to be able to talk about the luring tactics that human trafficking criminals use with victims. Read a full list here.
The London Women’s Abused Centre has a document available entitled Sex Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation: Keeping Youth Safe. The content is helpful for parents and is age appropriate for teens as well.
- Know what your children are doing online and who they are talking to.
Human traffickers are increasingly using social media to take advantage of children and youth.
“Traffickers often connect with children online and begin the process of grooming and luring. They look for vulnerabilities or holes in a young persons life and try to fill them.” (CCEHT, For Parents)
3. Be a safe person that your kids can talk to.
Ensure that an open and honest line of communication exists between you and your children. Do the best you can to ensure that they feel comfortable coming to you when they encounter potentially dangerous situations.
4. Limit the content your children consume online.
The normalization of violent and misogynistic behaviour apparent in online phonography can normalize the actions of a trafficker if your child is ever a victim of trafficking.
For more information about the negative impacts of viewing pornography during childhood, check out these resources:
Educators
Human trafficking awareness must be taught more both in the home and in our schools. Our youth must be given the tools to recognize the manipulative tactics of traffickers.
The Joy Smith Foundation launched the National Human Trafficking Education Centre in 2021, an extensive – and growing – library of courses and resources. They provide courses for parents, educators, faith leaders, and more.
Industry
Healthcare, trucking, and tourism are just a few of the industries that may come across victims or survivors of human trafficking. Will you know how to respond when you do?
A number of industries have worked with survivors of human trafficking to create training for workers, including the trucking industry. The Lanier Law Firm has completed lengthy research on the connections between human trafficking and trucking, which can be found here. The Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada has also created survivor-developed training specific for truckers to be able to know the signs of trafficking while on the job.
The Ontario Government provides a free online training program with modules specifically geared for legal professionals, law enforcement officers, healthcare professionals, and professionals working with children. Enroll here.
How does pornography fuel sex trafficking?
Pornography is a major contributor of the demand to purchase sex. The “sex industry” is flooded with sex traffickers, where the majority of women are exploited and coerced into selling their bodies. Porn culture contributes to the creation of a demand for sex, which incites traffickers to traffic women.
Read more about this correlation on Fight the New Drug’s website (a non-religious, non-political anti-pornography organization).
What’s being done on Parliament Hill?
Check out the All Party Group to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking to stay updated with what’s being done on Parliament to fight this crime.
As an advocate against human trafficking on Parliament Hill, I am always looking for resources that can help Canadians learn more about this crime. Please send key resources my office: arnold.viersen@parl.gc.ca