BACKGROUND
Human trafficking (commercial sexual exploitation) is an ever-increasing problem in Canadian society. Traffickers recruit out of our schools, online, in shopping malls, as well as the streets and other locations with no social economic identifier.
There is no social economic identifier of a survivor profile. They are your university child abducted, your sibling, yours or your children’s friend.
Victims are people trafficked in private homes, on street corners, and through legitimate businesses such as restaurants and motels. During their exploitation victims are not only sexually assaulted but forced to work in establishments such as massage parlours, strip clubs and holistic centres.
There is no limit on the source a trafficker will use their victim for to generate revenue. A victim is your employee whose paycheck is used to support their trafficker, they are the serving staff at your popular restaurant, they are the foster child or stepsibling trafficked by a family member.
“Having seen tens of thousands of dollars flow through their hands to their trafficker, Survivors are forced to rebuild their lives with little access to financial support. They should not be forced to live in unsafe housing nor rebuild their lives without support. Unprotected in their past we have the ability to protect Survivors and I am thankful to Concord Adex and Nieuport Aviation for their leadership in this initiative. Thank you as well to the many corporate and professional associations who have quickly answered this call.”