Though sometimes difficult to talk about, it’s important youths know how to identify human trafficking and protect themselves as well as others against perpetrators of this multi-billion dollar global industry, says Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW).
The organization is teaming up with local police departments to host an online session later this month that aims to inform parents, guardians, family, teachers and others about how to keep youth safe.
Guest speakers during the Jan. 26 event include Wellington County OPP’s Const. Beth Hickey and Det. Const. Hugh Currie of Guelph Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit.
“If people think this is only a ‘big city’ issue they are incorrect, it is happening everywhere, not just in cities like Guelph, but also in communities throughout Wellington County,” said CSGW board chair Deryck West in a post on the group’s website.
“It is of utmost importance that all of us as members of our communities educate ourselves about human trafficking, so that we can recognize it and provide information to eradicate the heinous crime.”
The Talk: Understanding Human Trafficking and How to Protect Your Children is a free online session intended to raise awareness of the issue and increase general understanding about what can be done to end it.
The event is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 26. Click here to register.
“It really is a call to action,” said CSGW program coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter in the post, noting “Stop the Crime of Human Trafficking” is this year’s theme for Crime Stoppers Month –January. “People need to talk about the various forms of Human Trafficking so they can take preventative measures, as well as take action.”
Human trafficking includes more than sex work, though that’s one of its dominant forms in Ontario, the post states. The other is labour trafficking, with organ trafficking also mentioned.
“With most individuals not realizing they are being groomed or believing they are working towards a financial goal, they don’t know, until it’s too late, that they are in a cycle of abuse where the opportunities to escape are few and far between,” the post states.
“In the case of labour trafficking, victims believe they are indebted to their traffickers and must work to eliminate that debt. Many of these victims are malnourished, physically abused and unable to seek help due to language or distance barriers.
“However, it is much easier to transport a youth in a car than several kilos of drugs,” it adds. “There is also a never-ending supply of young people, and thanks to the internet, specifically social media, it’s easier than ever to find someone who is unsuspecting and looking for someone to connect with.”
To learn more about Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington, visit www.csgw.tips.
