Sex trafficking is a growing crime in Canada. It is often under-reported, under-estimated and largely misunderstood.1
Essentially, sex trafficking is exploiting someone through force, fraud or coercion for another person's financial gain. As a multi-billion dollar industry, it is more lucrative than guns or drugs: traffickers can make over $280,000 per year by controlling one victim.2
This crime is affecting the lives of countless young women and girls in Canada.
Sex trafficking can happen to any young person, regardless of age, culture, income, orientation, gender or neighbourhood.6 Traffickers find their young victims online, at schools, malls, parties, libraries and bus stops.
Studies have shown that although traffickers recruit from all areas and backgrounds, marginalized, lower-income young people are often more at risk.7
Homeless youth are among the most vulnerable. Over 30 per cent8 of female youth who stay at Covenant House have been involved in some form of the sex industry, including sex for food. While only some of these youth are trafficking victims, this number shows desperation and a drive for survival. Traffickers search this out.
To learn more about sex trafficking, visit Traffick Stop, our online resource to educate and raise awareness of sex trafficking in our communities.
What many trafficking victims have in common is low self-esteem and other concerns that make them vulnerable. Traffickers promise their victims love, security, acceptance, money, shelter and food.
Thirty per cent of trafficking victims are recruited by males they consider to be their boyfriends and 25 per cent are recruited through friends, often victims themselves.9
