GuelphToday received the following issue of Crime Stoppers Corner for the month of July.
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July brings a break from the routine of work and school thanks to summer vacations. Unless, of course, you are a victim of Human Trafficking.
There are “No Vacations for Victims”. This is the title of our Human Trafficking awareness campaign.
The purpose of this campaign is to educate the public on this horrendous crime, and how Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) can help resolve and reduce the number of Human Trafficking cases and victims. Statistics are increasing as reporting of Human Trafficking is being more accurately tracked.
Previously, these stats would fall under Sexual Abuse, Prostitution, Physical Abuse, Domestic Disputes, Kidnapping and others. A common misconception is that Human Trafficking is only taking place in large urban centres. This is false, and dangerous.
Victims are obtained from rural and urban centres, and the sooner we can educate them on the grooming practices of a trafficker, the sooner they can protect themselves.
Another falsehood is that victims are primarily from other countries.
In Canada, 80 per cent of Human Trafficking victims are, in fact, Canadian. The balance of victims are brought to Canada from other countries.
Victims are not aware of what is happening to them until it’s too late, then the process of breaking them down mentally and emotionally prevents them from having the courage and awareness to leave.
The horror of what they experience can last a lifetime, even if they do finally have the means to get away from their trafficker.
The largest issue is that Human Trafficking is designed to be invisible, meaning that it could be happening in front of you and you wouldn’t necessarily know it.
To address this, CSGW is offering posters, rack cards and a dedicated presentation on Human Trafficking and how Crime Stoppers can help.
If you are interested in creating awareness in your community, Contact Us on our website. Remember, call 1-800-222-TIPS or go to www.csgw.tips if you have information about crime in your community! For more information on CSGW, go to www.csgw.tips. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube!
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