Human Trafficking — It Happens in Canada

Nearly 1 in 5 youth who come through the doors at Covenant House Vancouver have survived trafficking.

Human trafficking (sex, labour, and organ trafficking) involves recruiting, transporting, harbouring, or receiving a person, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion, for the purpose of exploitation. In the case of minors, any commercial sex act is trafficking, regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion is involved. Exploitation can occur without trafficking.

Myths and uncertainties about trafficking abound — and the trafficking industry thrives on such misconceptions. The hidden nature of this crime has meant that most Canadians are completely unaware that it occurs in our country.

Trafficking rates have been found to range from 19% – 40% among homeless young people.

Covenant House gets out on the streets, seeking survivors and potential victims of trafficking. They also organize to make change, fighting for policies and legislation at the local and national levels.

Statistics show that it takes an average of seven attempts to exit a trafficking situation. Covenant House takes a youth-led, non-judgemental approach. They first meet a youth’s basic needs of a safe place to stay, food, clothing, and wraparound services that include mental health and substance use supports. Covenant House knows that it is difficult for youth to leave their situation, because of the manipulation by, and dependence on, the trafficker, so staff build a rapport and a relationship of trust with the youth, so if the youth are retrafficked, they know that they have a safe place to return to. A safe place to stay is paramount in helping youth exit trafficking.

After 32 months of extensive research and collaborations, Covenant House Vancouver is in the final stages of creating a toolkit, and training model, to support frontline staff and community partners that will empower supports for trafficked youth.

Raising awareness and providing information are the most common tools in the arsenal of prevention activities. Awareness is required not only for the youth but also service providers in schools, law enforcement, social work, and healthcare.

Affordable housing, employment opportunities and engagement with school or other interests, help reduce trafficking because youth have a safe place to stay and help youth develop independence, leaving them less likely to be trafficked.

Another way that you can help is by donating to organizations that are engaged in efforts to eliminate youth trafficking. A very special family understands the prevalence of trafficking and that this issue continues to put young people in danger, every day, so starting March 8^th, they have offered to match any donations to Covenant House, up to $15,000!  

Help end youth trafficking.