Human trafficking reports up 50 per cent in Guelph, say officials

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Exposing the hidden crisis of human trafficking

INTERVIEW: Guelph Police say human trafficking calls up 50%

How to spot human trafficking

Guelph Police and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health said they are seeing a significant increase in human trafficking reports in the community.

“Sex workers are very commonly trafficked,” explained Dr. Nicola Mercer, the agency’s medical officer of health and CEO. “It’s not just them though. It could be domestic workers, or it could be even forced physical labor that might be seen on a farm, for example.”

While exact numbers are difficult to determine, Guelph Police said human trafficking-related calls climbed 50 per cent over the last two years.

“We don’t believe, necessarily, that there’s more human trafficking happening,” explained Scott Tracey, the media coordinator for Guelph Police. “We’re just getting better at detecting it, and people are more comfortable coming forward and reporting it.”

Officials said human trafficking happens in all communities, regardless of size, especially ones along Highway 401 like Guelph.

“Victims get brought here,” Tracey said. “They spend a week or two and then they’re moved somewhere else, and they basically just travel back and forth along the 401.”

In Waterloo Region, police recently charged three men as part of a nearly year-long human trafficking investigation.

Guelph Police, meanwhile, have increased the number of their officers dedicated to addressing the problem.

“The more resources we’re able to direct at it, the better we’ll become at detecting those who are victims, and getting them the support that they need,” Tracey said.

Officials also want the public to report any potential human trafficking.

Mercer said a big red flag is a change in behaviour.

“If you are a parent or you are a friend of, say, young girls, and all of a sudden you start to notice that they’re a little bit more withdrawn. One of the other tips is that they may have a boyfriend, that they don’t want to introduce to the family [or] they all of a sudden start to have gifts, things that you know that they could not afford.”

While victims are sometimes physically restrained, more often they are groomed and exploited.

“It has lifelong repercussions for them,” Mercer said. “It’s difficult to get out. It’s difficult to find them. There’s a lot of shame that’s involved. Often, they’re very young when they are first exploited. As young as 13.”

According to Statistics Canada, 91 per cent of victims know their traffickers.

Mercer said they are also disproportionately Indigenous women and girls.

“Although Indigenous women only make up 5 per cent of the population, they actually make up about 50 per cent of those who we find are being trafficked.

Any possible human trafficking situations should be reported.

“[Do] not be afraid to call your local police services who may have background information, and that may be the clue that they need in order to intervene,” Mercer said. “If you do see something, say something. But I would not approach the person who is doing the trafficking.”

There is also a 24/7 hotline for anyone who suspects human trafficking. The service is confidential, offers multilingual service and can connect victims and survivors with social services, law enforcement and emergency services.