Human trafficking, homelessness and addiction focus of conference in Sudbury

A one-day conference in Sudbury focused on the link between homelessness, addictions and human sex trafficking.

Human sex trafficking is a complex, often hidden, multi-jurisdictional crime. On Friday in Sudbury, a one-day conference focused on human trafficking, homelessness and addiction.

The goal is to help people who work in social services learn more about how these issues are related and how to spot victims.

It was a packed room with 150 people taking part to learn more about the links between human trafficking, homelessness and addiction.

“Absolutely there is an addiction and homelessness link to trafficking,” Jelise Keating, Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking public educator.

“Traffickers and recruiters utilize addiction and homelessness in order to bring more individuals into human trafficking through their vulnerabilities.”

Aura Burditt, an outreach worker with the Salvation Army in London, spoke about spotting the signs of human trafficking. She pointed out a sad statistic involving the Indigenous population.

“The Indigenous population in Canada is less than five per cent and yet they are overrepresented in trafficked survivors and victims at the rate of about 51 per cent,” said Burditt.

The conference was organized by a number of community agencies coming together to share messages about spotting the signs and breaking the chains of human trafficking.

Able to spot human trafficking

“I am actually hoping that everyone who attends will be able to say I can see that, spotting it,” said Barbara Ridley, Salvation Army Cedar Place executive director.

“If they can spot trafficking, then at least we can begin that conversation with that person and hopefully to provide them with the resources that are necessary so that they can actually get the help they need.”

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“Being more aware of how insidious the topic is and human trafficking is happening. It is very invisible and hidden and what to look for to properly identify it,” Burditt added.

A detective with the Greater Sudbury Police Service was also a guest speaker and shared the fact that information involving human trafficking reported to Crimestoppers is directly passed on to the appropriate investigators daily.