THUNDER BAY — Getting the word out remains a key tool in combating the scourge of human trafficking in Canadian cities like Thunder Bay that have high rates of the illegal activity, victim advocate say.
"Knowledge empowers (trafficking) survivors, strengthens support networks and disrupts the systems that allow trafficking to persist," says the Thunder Bay-based Ontario Native Women's Association.
"We know from experience that traffickers thrive in areas that lack awareness."
To help keep people in the know, Nokiiwin Tribal Council is hosting an anti-human trafficking presentation later this month at Fort William First Nation.
Presenters are to define what human trafficking is, explain the tell-tale signs that indicate someone may be a victim and identify agencies that can provide help.
According to the Native Women's Association website, Thunder Bay police reported between 2012 and 2022 the highest average rate of human-trafficking incidents — nearly six per 100,000 people — among Ontario cities that also had high rates.
Over the same period, Ottawa and Windsor had 3.2 per 100,000 and 2.6 per 100,000 respectively. In 2022, the national average was 1.4 per 100,000.
Indigenous women and girls who become victims are often lured by pimps, then forced into prostitution.
Jennifer Richardson, a survivor who was trafficked as a young teenage girl and is now the association's senior strategy and communications director, said that "human trafficking thrives in silence and ignorance."
"Change begins with breaking that silence, educating ourselves, and uplifting the voices of Indigenous survivors," Richardson added.
"Their stories are often overlooked, yet Indigenous women's voices and solutions are vital in the fight to end human trafficking," she said.
According to Statistics Canada, more than 90 per cent of the 3,558 human-trafficking incidents reported to Canadian police forces between 2013 and 2023 involved women and girls. Nearly 25 per cent were under 18, the agency said. Trafficking can also include forced labour.
Richardson, who holds a master's degree in social work, was in January appointed to a three-year term as Canada's chief adviser to combat human trafficking.
"Her in-depth knowledge will greatly inform and shape initiatives aimed at combating human trafficking both in Ontario and across Canada.," the Ontario Native Women's Association said.
Signs that a young person has been trafficked may include withdrawing from family and friends, wearing sexualized clothes, displaying jewellery and other merchandise they can't afford or appearing with bruises and other injuries, the association says.
The 24-7 Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is available in over 200 languages. It can be reached at 1-833-900-1010.
The anti-human trafficking presentation at Fort William First Nation is to take place on March 21, from 1:30-3 p.m.
The Chronicle-Journal / Local Journalism Initiative
