Frequently Asked Questions

Human Trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation or harboring of persons for the purpose of exploitation (typically in the sex industry or for forced labor). Traffickers use various methods to maintain control over their victims, including force, sexual assault, threats of violence and emotional abuse….Human trafficking is the business of stealing freedom for profit. In some cases, traffickers trick, defraud or physically force victims into selling sex. In others, victims are lied to, assaulted, threatened or manipulated into working under inhumane, illegal or otherwise unacceptable conditions. It is a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to 24.9 million people around the world.

Traffickers and pimps use physical, emotional and psychological abuse to coerce young women and girls into a life of sex trafficking. Traffickers are master manipulators and employ tactics to create trauma bonds with victims. Traffickers often use the threat of violence against victims or victim’s loved ones to secure their submission.

1. Age, stage of development. Pre-teen or adolescents experience hormonal changes and feel emotions deeply, making them more susceptible to the deception, and manipulation tactics used by traffickers. The brain’s centre of judgement, planning and impulse control is last to develop. Adolescents are naturally asserting independence from authorities, exploring limits and taking risks. Pimps seek vulnerable girls who are looking for someone to “care” for them. They target locations youth frequent: schools, malls, parks, bus stops, shelters and group homes. Runaway or homeless youth, as well as those with a history of physical and sexual abuse, may have an increased risk.

2. Internet Safety Threats
Pimps are continually trolling the internet, seeking their next victim through social media platforms, online gaming, chat rooms – always looking for someone who is having trouble at home, or with friends. They may pose as a teen girl or boy interested in friendship. The relationship is developed without threat until the unsuspecting child agrees to meet them, to send compromising photos or shares their deepest secrets with them. That’s when the predator can move in and begin to separate them from their safety nets.

In Canada, vulnerable populations at risk of becoming trafficked include migrant workers, new
immigrants, youth, Indigenous women and girls, those who are socially or economically disadvantaged,
or those who may have been lured to urban centers or have gone of their own free will with the hopes
of bettering their lives. Convictions for human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation
demonstrate that Canadian girls and women are often victims. At least 80% of trafficked persons
exploited in the sex trade are Indigenous and the average age of entry is 13.

Often people are trafficked by the people closest to them, such as boyfriends. Some victims of trafficking were first exploited as children by family members. Individuals working independently traffic persons for profit/personal gain as well as organized crime groups such as gangs.

Pimps “shop” for their victims online, in shopping malls, bus stops, schools, after school programs, foster homes, parks,
restaurants and other places where teens gather….

Pimps invest a lot of time and effort in forming a bond with their victim. Romeo or boyfriend pimps buy girls gifts, provide a place to stay and give affection before revealing their true intent- to sexually exploit them. The pimp may take “modeling”photos and suggestive videos and then use them to advertise the victim for sexual services online. The pimp’s use of psychological manipulation, physical violence and rape can make the victim feel trapped and powerless.

Traffickers approach potential victims through direct contact or online.  “Scouts” may represent themselves as a sponsor, love interest or peer. Misleading advertisements promise jobs, modelling,  travel opportunities or better living conditions. While it is true that traffickers sometimes forcibly kidnap their victims, more frequently, they manipulate and take advantage of an individual’s vulnerability. 

Traffickers use a variety of tactics to intimidate and control their victims, including:

• Physical violence and starvation
• Rape and other sexual abuse
• Psychological abuse, coercion, and blackmail
• Drug addiction
• Threats of violence against their family or loved ones
• Confiscation of passports or other important documentation
• Prospects of opportunity
• Romance
• Debt bondage

There are very few definitive clues for identifying a trafficked person, but often includes a combination of a variety of indicators.

• they may be controlled or intimidated by someone else (i.e. being escorted or watched)
• they may not speak on their own behalf and may not be English/French speaking
• they may not have a passport or other I.D.
• they may not be familiar with the neighborhood they live/work in
• they may be moved frequently by their traffickers
• they may have injuries, burn marks, cuts and/or bruises from beatings and/or weapons
• they may show visible signs of branding or scarring (indicating ownership by the trafficker)
• they may show signs of malnourishment
• they may express fear and intimidation through facial expressions and/or body language
• Unexplained absences from class
• Less appropriately dressed than before
• Sexualized behavior
• Overly tired in class
• Withdrawn, depressed, distracted or checked out
• Brags about making or having lots of money
• Displays expensive clothes, accessories or shoes
• New tattoo (tattoos are often used by pimps as a way to brand victims. Tattoos of a name, symbol of money or barcode could indicate trafficking)
• Older boyfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle
• Talks about wild parties or invites other students to attend parties
• Shows signs of gang affiliation? (ie: a preference for specific colors, notebook doodles of gang symbols, etc.)

The buyers of sex from juveniles can be anyone – professionals, students, tourists, military personnel, a family member. Because buyers often pay in cash and may interact with a victim for as little as five minutes, buyers are increasingly difficult to identify.

Viewing pornography may be a solo act; however, the production of the material and the social and relational consequences of the behavior extends far past the individual. Children and adults endure brutal rape and abuse at the hands of pornographers and may require years of specialized therapy to heal from the intense trauma inflicted on them. The effects of pornography can skew the viewer’s perception of healthy sexual behavior and boundaries, impacting the viewer’s personal relationship with a spouse or significant other. Trafficked women and children may face an increased risk of violence or degradation due to the normalization of deviant sex acts propagated through pornography.

Victims may be found anywhere in Canada. Some basic examples include:

• nightclubs/bars
• modeling studios
• hospitals
• pornography
• escort services
• massage parlors
• shelters
• private residences
• on the internet
• hotels
• on the streets

1. BECOME WELL EDUCATED ON THIS ISSUE.
Make sure you understand the issue and learn as much as possible about what life is really like for sex trafficking victims. Then educate others.

2. LEARN HOW TO IDENTIFY A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING AND WHERE TO REPORT IT.
Links to information on signs of trafficking are included in this site. Save the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline number in your cell phone today: 1-833-900-1010. 

3. ACT RESPONSIBLY. You should not attempt direct interaction/intervention without training, from an expert. Without proper training you can put the child at increased risk of violence, not to mention the matter of your own safety. Never pay a child for time to talk in the hopes of rescuing them. Go through the appropriate and proper channels to assist victims.

4. WRITE ABOUT IT. If you write a personal blog, like to post on social media, or develop other forms of media, consider addressing the topic of child sex trafficking and exploitation in your writing.

5. VOLUNTEER AND MENTOR. Look for opportunities to serve in homeless shelters, soup kitchens, etc. These kinds of places serve trafficking victims sometimes without realizing it.

6. DONATE PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. Shelters and outreach organizations may need doctors, therapists, or dentists to provide pro bono services for victims of sex trafficking. The organization may need a lawyer, accountant, or marketing expert to assist them on a project. Contact your local human trafficking coalition, shelters, and/or organizations to see how you can provide your expertise.

7. DONATE TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY NEED AND HELP RAISE THE NECESSARY FUNDS. Organizations that assist victims and prevent abuse have little funding available to them. Any generous donation will go a long way in efforts like conducting research, fixing a leaky roof, or buying a van to reach children in crisis who call for help. Some traffickers engage in the horrific practice of tattooing their victims, “branding” them like property. Raising funds for tattoo removal is also a way to bring healing.

8. TALK ABOUT IT; LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Educate your fellow community and neighbors at local events and fairs. Engage your community in a dialogue about the sex trafficking of children and the broader topic of commercial sex and the sexualization of children. You don’t have to be an expert – just get out there and spread the word.

9. SCHEDULE A SPEAKER. If you are interested in having guest speaker come out and address your group, you can contact us here: [email protected]