Human Trafficking in Waterloo Region

Signs of Human Trafficking

Protect Yourself

Know the Signs. Help a Friend. Stay Safe.

Protect Yourself - How to recognize signs of human trafficking.

Being able to recognize the warning signs of human trafficking can help you support someone who may be experiencing it. While these general signs are related to human trafficking, remember that they can also be signs of other things and are not necessarily “proof” that someone is being lured/groomed or trafficked.

Signs That Someone is Potentially Being Lured/Groomed [14] 

The individual:

  • Has low self-esteem and a strong need for approval, love or attachment
  • Is suddenly being given expensive things (like purses, shoes, jewelry)
  • Is suddenly being showered with attention (for example, someone is taking them out for expensive dinners, giving them flowers, etc)
  • Has become isolated or turned against their family and friends
  • Has a new boyfriend who they won’t introduce to friends and family
  • Has been skipping school and their grades have fallen 
  • Has been staying out late, missing curfew


Signs That Someone is Potentially Being Trafficked [7,14]

​Characteristics may include:

  • Fearful, anxious, depressed
  • Submissive, tense, nervous, paranoid
  • Someone else speaks for them
  • Fear of police
  • Not receiving proper health care
  • Appears malnourished
  • Signs of abuse (e.g., cuts, bruises)
  • Does not possess official ID
  • Unable to clarify where they are staying
  • Lack of knowledge of whereabouts 
  • Lost sense of time
  • Inconsistent story
  • Denied basic necessities
  • Branding (e.g. tattoos)
  • Drug or alcohol addiction

Know the Warning Signs of Human Trafficking. Help a Friend. Stay Safe.

How to help a friend you think is being exploited

  • Don’t take matters into your own hands – your personal safety could be at risk. Those involved in human trafficking often use violence, so it is important to keep yourself safe
  • If it is safe to do so, provide support to your friend in a non-judgmental, compassionate manner – let them know that you care and that you are there for them
  • Let them know about the resources that are available in the community [See “Find Help”]
  • Approach a safe adult, such as a school resource officer, for help
  • Contact Crime Stoppers to report anonymously
  • If you or the other person are ever in immediate danger or crisis, call 911

Know the Signs. Help a Friend. Stay Safe.

What to do if you are ever approached

Whether it be at the mall, online, at school – anywhere, remember [14]:

  • Never provide personal information about yourself, friends or family (e.g. address, sports teams you belong to, where your parents work, etc.)
  • Walk away and get help
  • Report to police
  • Contact Crime Stoppers
  • Speak to a trusted adult or speak to a counsellor  [See “Find Help”]
  • Tell your friends and family
  • Try to get a physical description of the person or any other information that might help police locate them
Signs of Human Trafficking - Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

Know the Signs. Help a Friend. Stay Safe.

Human Trafficking Safety Tips

Traffickers often use social media to identify and lure young people into human trafficking. Snapchat and Instagram are noted by Waterloo Regional Police as common tools used by traffickers. In addition, young people are often targeted at parties and social gatherings.

 

How to stay safe online…

  • Ensure all social media accounts are private 
  • Never “add” or “friend” people that you don’t know
  • Do not provide any personal information online (including your home address, phone number, etc.) 
  • Be careful who you trust online – a person may not be who they say they are 
  • Never agree to meet someone in person without checking with your parents/caregivers
  • Be weary of ads/promises to “make easy money” or “work as a team/together”

 

How to stay safe at a party…

  • Ensure someone knows where you are at all times 
  • Use the ‘buddy system’; always stay close to trusted friends 
  • Keep your phone charged and always close by 
  • Don’t leave drinks unattended or accept drinks from a stranger 
  • Always keep in mind that your judgment may be impaired if you have been drinking or taking drugs. Drugs can be stronger than you may expect. It also may not be the drug you think it is. 
  • If you ever feel unsafe, leave to go somewhere you are more comfortable 
  • Never go somewhere alone with a person you have just met​

It happens here

What makes Waterloo Region especially vulnerable to this crime?

Waterloo Region is…
  • Close to 401 and QEW: sex trafficking is common along these major highways, as people can be easily transported into and out of the Region. Moving trafficked individuals along these major highways from hotel to hotel is common, as it helps traffickers avoid detection, and also allows them to isolate their victims further, making them more dependent on their trafficker, since the individual has limited opportunity to establish trust with others to ask for help [15].​
  • Close to other major cities (e.g., Detroit, Quebec): provides a quick pipeline for trafficking, where trafficked individuals can be easily and quickly taken from city to city.
  • A fairly prosperous area: where there is money to be made, there will be buyers for the sex trade.
 

"As the knowledge of human trafficking grows and media attention increases, we will continue to see an increase of cases in our Region. Human trafficking has been around for a very long time, sometimes right under our noses, but only recently have we been able to put a definitive label on it."

Detective Matt Demarte, Special Victims Unit, Waterloo Regional Police Service
Human Trafficking in Waterloo Region

If you are in immediate danger, call 911

For help, visit our “Find Help” page for a complete list of service providers.

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