Human trafficking, a silent and fast-growing crime in Canada
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Do you know what Human Trafficking is?
According to the UNODC, the crime of human trafficking counts with three main elements: act (recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, or receive), means (threat or use of force, coercion, fraud, deception, abuse of a position of vulnerability, giving payments of benefits, or abduction) under the purpose of exploitation.
Have you heard about Human Smuggling?
Involves moving people across international borders in exchange for money. Once they reach their destination, the smuggler and the person part ways. In some cases, people who agreed to be smuggled have later become victims of human trafficking.
What are the main forms of human trafficking in Canada:
01. Sexual exploitation
Victims are forced to provide sexual services, or work in massage parlors, escort agencies, or the adult entertainment industry.
According to UNODC, 79% of the cases of human trafficking worldwide are for sexual exploitation, where women and girls make up the vast majority of the victim population. The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking reported 1.061 cases of sex trade or sex labour-related human trafficking cases in the country from 2019 to 2022.
What are the main forms of human trafficking in Canada: 02. Forced labour
Victims are made to work under harsh conditions, such as long hours, low or no pay, or unsafe environments (such as in the construction industry or in agricultural work). It can also include working as caregivers with unreasonable hours and unrelated duties.
Common trafficking tactics, approaching victims and population at a major risk.
Migrant workers
Women and girls
Survivors of abuse and trauma
New immigrants
People living in poverty
Individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQI+
Youth people
People facing cultural or societal inequities
Indigenous individuals
People with substance use disorders
You know about Social media and Human Trafficking?
Traffickers commonly use social media tools since it provide anonymity and easy access to victims. These platforms allow the sharing of personal details, which traffickers may use for grooming and manipulation before trafficking. Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to being victims of human trafficking through social media channels. 1 in 4 victims of human trafficking worldwide are children.
Human trafficking as a form of gender-based violence
According to the Walk Free Global Slavery Index, 54% of the victims of modern slavery and human trafficking are women and girls globally. In Canada, 94% of the reported cases of human trafficking victims are women and girls according to Statistics Canada. Additionally, 71% of the reported cases of human trafficking in the country are sex trafficking or sex labour related.
Warning signs of possible human trafficking
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Be unaware of the location of their documents (that is passport, identification)
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Unaware of surroundings despite having been in the area for an extended period of time
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Not be able to move or leave their job
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Have tattooing, or branding to indicate ownership
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From a foreign country and neither speak English nor French and/or not speak on their own behalf
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Have bruises, show signs of abuse and/or malnutrition
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Show evidence of being controlled, intimidated, or afraid
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Frequently moved or accompanied by their trafficker
