Many believe that human trafficking is only an international issue, when the reality is that most human trafficking cases are domestic (over 90%), where all stages of trafficking occur within Canada’s borders [4].
Nearly 65% of all human trafficking reported in Canada happens in Ontario [2]. Trafficked individuals are forced to provide sexual services to customers (often upwards of 10 times per day), primarily in hotels, private residences and adult entertainment establishments [1].
The true amount of human trafficking occurring in Canada is difficult to measure.
It is a much bigger problem than we know. Sex trafficking is only officially recorded when it comes into contact with law enforcement or federal agencies, which poses great limitations since it’s difficult to identify victims, and not all victims come forward to police.
There are many reasons that someone may not come forward to police. Trafficked individuals are often hidden, forbidden from talking with others, controlled by threats and abuse, and may have been taught to mistrust police and other authorities [1]. Cases may also go unreported due to manipulation, shame and language barriers.
It’s important to keep these factors in mind when you look at the number of reported cases of human trafficking [1].
From 2009 to 2016, there were a total of 865 trafficked individuals who became known to police in Canada [16].
The rates of police-reported incidents have been increasing rapidly in Canada from 41 police reported incidents in 2009 up to 340 in 2016 (see chart below) [16]. Whether this is due to a true increase in the crime, or more a reflection of improved detection, reporting and investigation of human trafficking is unclear.
From 2009 to 2016, there were a total of 865 trafficked individuals who became known to police in Canada [16].
The rates of police-reported incidents have been increasing rapidly in Canada from 41 police reported incidents in 2009 up to 340 in 2016 (see chart below) [16]. Whether this is due to a true increase in the crime, or more a reflection of improved detection, reporting and investigation of human trafficking is unclear.
Waterloo Regional Police report that in 2019 there were:
In Waterloo Region, the majority of sex trafficking is occurring within hotels and motels.
Both men and women have been charged with trafficking in our region. Many of the women charged are survivors of trafficking themselves.
Most trafficked individuals who come to the attention of Waterloo Regional Police are young women and girls and have ranged in age from 14 to 47 years old.
Remember! Sex trafficking is a vastly under-reported crime, and these statistics likely only show a small glimpse into the real problem of sex trafficking in Waterloo Region.
Waterloo Region is…
"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."
The following dramatization was created by Covenant House Toronto and offers a look at what the process of exploitation often looks like. The four-minute video reveals how sex trafficking happens to young, Canadian girls. It is a dramatization of the experience of “Amy” – a teen who found herself enslaved by a man she believed was her boyfriend.
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