The Prevalence of Human Trafficking in Canada, and Across the World
A country like Canada, which might seem unaffected by human trafficking, is far more vulnerable than we think. Although the exact number is hard to pinpoint due to the undercover nature of human trafficking, we believe there are nearly 1,200 cases of human trafficking in the last 5 years (Statistics Canada).
Police investigations and other evidence point to women and girls being the most targeted for sex trafficking, which is the topic of Future Unchained Toronto’s April 2022 event. In general, those who are economically and socially disadvantaged are more likely to become victims of human trafficking, especially Aboriginal women and youth being held at a disproportionate disadvantage. Children who were at one time in the foster care system are also especially vulnerable to being trafficked, due to the lack of jobs, safe housing, money, and increased isolation and seclusion. Many of these children are runaway teenagers who have been sexually abused when they were younger, leaving them with underlying psychological, emotional, and physical scars.
It is important to note that most human trafficking cases go undetected. The United Nations has called it, “the hidden figure of crime.” The amount of money that human traffickers earn globally is staggering. Estimates suggest profits totalling $150 billion a year, $99 billion of which comes from commercial sexual exploitation.
Social media and other online websites are another thing to be wary of. Human traffickers often use online platforms to scour for the next victim of human trafficking, and with a large number of teenagers, especially girls, on social media, they could be quick victims.
At Future Unchained Toronto, our team has been working hard to do what we can to combat human trafficking. As a member of Future Unchained Toronto, I can attest to the time, dedication, and passion put in by the groupmates, from team meetings to hosting events to spreading awareness on social media; we are reaching out to as many people across the nation as we can.
In a recent event, held in March of 2022, students participated in group discussions (held over Zoom breakout rooms), learned to recognize the signs of human trafficking, and reflected on the frightening idea that victims could be found in their own schools, without being aware of it.
Knowing that anyone can become a victim of human trafficking puts into perspective how widespread and common this issue is, and highlights the importance of the work that Future Unchained Toronto and other organizations doing to eliminate human trafficking.