by Emma Elshaw Large crowds. Screaming fans. Loud cheers. These are all common elements at sporting events, and a an unfortunate opportunity for traffickers to take advantage of the loud noises and the mass collection of strangers to kidnap a young person for the purposes of sex trafficking.
Trafficking at sporting events is, unfortunately, not a rare occurrence. While many go to have an evening of fun with friends or family, it can turn into someone’s worst nightmare in the blink of an eye. At a recent NBA game, a 15-year-old girl was kidnapped while taking a trip to the washroom. After days of no results in finding her, the family launched their own private investigation and she was located within a day, after discovering pictures of her online where she was listed for sale.
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by Emma Elshaw  At this year’s annual Freedom Fighter’s Conference in April, we heard from Jesus Bondo on the intersectionality of human trafficking and the political world. He stated that 71% of victims of human trafficking say they were forced to have sex with doctors, 60% with judges and 80% with police. Those are some staggering numbers, particularly as they are from professions that we might assume would be fighting against human trafficking, and not engaging in it. The reality that traffickers and purchasers of sex are already part of the political sphere in one form or another is clear.
We may feel that there is nothing that can be done to fight human trafficking if those who are in some of the most powerful professions are engaging in its continuance. However, there is still a lot that can be done. There are still those in the political sphere who desire to see an end to human trafficking, like Jesus Bondo and Joy Smith. There are MPs who are fighting to pass bills in an effort to slowly see the discontinuation of sex trafficking. by Emma Elshaw  Last week, we looked at how the war in Ukraine has caused an increase of trafficking among the refugees who are fleeing their war-torn country into neighbouring countries. Today, we will delve further into the effects of the war in Ukraine as it relates to human trafficking.
We know that women are vulnerable to trafficking as they are in the midst of fleeing Ukraine for safe, neighbouring countries. But it’s not just women who are vulnerable to trafficking - the children are as well. In many cases, children have been separated from their families amidst the chaos at the border of Ukraine. “More than 500 unaccompanied children were identified crossing from Ukraine into Romania from 24 February to 17 March. The true number of separated children who have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries is likely much higher. Separated children are especially vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.” by Emma Elshaw  The news stories covering the war in Ukraine depict the crisis and devastation that is being felt throughout the country and its inhabitants. However, there is another crisis that emerges as millions of refugees flee Ukraine into neighbouring countries, looking for a safe place for themselves and their families: “An avalanche of conflict-scarred women and children bursting out of Ukraine means that exploitation and abuse cases escalate.”
by Emma Elshaw  With the start of a new year, there is a sense that the troubles and worries of the old year fade away, replaced with hope as people look to new things that are on the horizon. But some things are not fading away, and human trafficking is one of them.
Human trafficking continues to be an ongoing issue, and sadly, many Canadians are unaware of the signs of human trafficking. James McLean, Director of Research and Policy at The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, said that “Canadians are shockingly unaware of the realities of human trafficking or how to make a difference.” Two surveys were conducted on behalf of The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, which showed that that 77% of Canadians would not be able to tell if someone is being exploited by trafficking, despite the fact that 73% said that they recognize that human trafficking is a significant issue in Canada. by Emma Elshaw  As a parent, we just want to keep our kids safe and healthy. We teach them how to know if someone is a safe person. We teach them what to do if they ever feel unsafe. We teach them about “stranger danger”. However, the danger nowadays is that some of the most dangerous people aren’t really strangers. Traffickers can be friends at school or even relatives.
When it comes to keeping your kids safe from the dangers of trafficking, the first step is prevention - knowing the signs yourself and educating your kids to recognize the potential dangers and signs of trafficking in order to reduce the risk of being lured by traffickers. Another form of prevention might be to know and monitor what your kids are doing online and to know who they are hanging out with. It is important to maintain open communication with your child so that they feel comfortable coming to you in any circumstance or situation. by Emma Elshaw  The Ontario government announced in June that it will require school boards to add anti-trafficking plans and protocols to their Health and Education Curriculum in order to identify, respond to and prevent trafficking from happening in the first place. Teachers in Ontario will need to learn this portion of the curriculum in order to teach it to their students. As students learn the material, they can be equipped to help prevent trafficking from happening to themselves and their friends.
When someone knows and learns how to recognize the signs of trafficking, they are armed with knowledge as a type of shield, protecting them from potential exploitation in the form of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is incredibly prevalent in society and schools today. It is “hiding in plain sight and we need to better educate people on how to spot and stop it” (Tamara Balan). By teaching young people to recognize the signs of trafficking, they are being empowered with knowledge, and it is “very difficult to exploit and traffic[k] an empowered person.” by Emma Elshaw  “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” This quotation by Nelson Mandela identifies what good education can really do. When it comes to fighting and preventing sex trafficking, education is key, and the Ontario government has recognized this importance.
In July 2021, the Ontario government announced that it would require school boards to develop anti-trafficking strategies in order to help schools “identify, respond to and prevent trafficking of children.” One of the best ways to combat trafficking is to start early with prevention measures, rather than solely creating more resources and programs for survivors. Yes, those resources and programs are vital, but imagine reallocating those resources to programs that create fewer cases of trafficking in the first place. This could happen if we start and continue to combat trafficking at an early age, focusing on prevention rather than solely on recovery. By: Emma Elshaw  This blog was written from a "settler's" perspective, using information gathered from an Indigenous person. If you feel triggered after reading this blog, please reach out using the "Contact Us" section of our website. If you are an Indigenous person and you notice anything that is not accurate, please also let us know. Thank you. Due to the hundreds of years of exploitation that has been in existence since the time the settlers stepped foot on Indigenous soil, multiple layers of vulnerability have accumulated within Indigenous communities. Where there is vulnerability, traffickers step in to begin manipulating and trafficking individuals. In the last two weeks, we have seen how the history of colonization has led to the vulnerability and mistreatment of Indigenous people, which has led to an increase in trafficking of Indigenous people.
Trafficking in Indigenous Communities - Part 2:The Historical Mistreatment of Indigenous People6/15/2021 By Emma Elshaw  Trigger Warning: Please note that this blog contains descriptions of violence and mistreatment in Indigenous communities and the residential school system. This blog was written from a "settler's" perspective, using information gathered from an Indigenous person. If you feel triggered after reading this blog, please reach out using the "Contact Us" section of our website. If you are an Indigenous person and you notice anything that is not accurate, please also let us know. Thank you.
“While policies and laws against the trafficking of people contribute to the prevention of future cases of human trafficking and supports for [survivors], the issue cannot be properly addressed without examining the root causes of violence against Indigenous women and girls, and the colonial legacy.” Last week, we examined the effects of colonization on Indigenous people and communities to give a historical context as to why there is a disproportionate amount of trafficked Indigenous women compared to other groups. Today, we will dig deeper into how the mistreatment and subsequent vulnerabilities of women have created a higher risk of human trafficking in Indigenous communities. |
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