New billboards launch in Sudbury to combat human trafficking

New billboards in Greater Sudbury aim to combat human trafficking, a local advocacy group says. Angels of Hope placed the signs to raise awareness.

New billboards have been erected across the Sudbury area as a central component of a public awareness campaign against human trafficking. The initiative is spearheaded by Angels of Hope, a local organization dedicated to educating the public, raising awareness and providing direct assistance to victims of human trafficking and their families.

Strategic placement to disrupt trafficking routes

Two billboards have been installed in the city’s south end, with one located along Regent Street and a second positioned along Highway 69. The placement of these signs is a calculated element of the campaign.

Cristina Scarpellini, the founder of Angels of Hope, explained the dual purpose.

“The purpose of this campaign is to make the community aware that human trafficking is happening in Greater Sudbury,” she said.

“We are hoping by people seeing these billboards that they are aware of the situation. We want traffickers to feel uncomfortable and know that we know they are in the city.”

Scarpellini further elaborated on the strategic choice of the Highway 69 location.

Virtual event to feature survivor’s powerful testimony

Later this month, Angels of Hope will host a virtual awareness event featuring guest speaker Melissa MacMillan. The 39-year-old is a survivor of human trafficking who was also convicted on one count of material benefit from sex work, a facet of her experience she openly discusses.

MacMillan’s said her story highlights the complex and cyclical nature of exploitation within the industry.

“I was in active addiction for 18 years which lead me into the sex work industry. But not only that I was also charged with exploitation myself which is statistically common especially with women who are in the sex work industry for a long time. They turn around and bring other women into the sex industry and exploit them,” she said.

The inextricable link between addiction and exploitation

Detailing her personal experience of being trafficked in Sudbury and then taken to work in downtown Toronto, MacMillan underscored the powerful connection between substance dependency and exploitation.

“For me it was the exploitation with the active addiction piece. The person that exploited me was somebody who you know supplied me with my drugs,” she said. “So he knew that all the money that I was making would go right back into his pocket. So, unless you have love, support, guidance and resources to get out of active addiction you are not going to get out of the sex work industry. It goes hand in hand for a lot of women.”

Education and support as primary objectives

Beyond raising public visibility, Angels of Hope told CTV News that one of the primary goals of the awareness campaign is to provide practical education. The organization aims to teach community members how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, how to respond to suspected cases safely – and crucially to ensure survivors are aware that local resources and support networks are available to them.

Resources for sexual assault survivors

If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:

• If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.
• A full list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling can be found at ReeseCommunity.com. Resources in your community can be found by entering your postal code.
• Helplines, legal services and locations that offer sexual assault kits in Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia can be found here.
• National Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
• 24-hour crisis line: 1-416-597-8808
• Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: [phone]
• Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
• Sexual misconduct support for current or former members of the Armed Forces: 1-844-750-1648

Read about your rights as a victim here.