Human Trafficking Awareness and Support

The Facts

Sex trafficking is a growing crime in Canada. It is often under-reported, under-estimated and largely misunderstood.

What is Sex Trafficking?

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.

The Numbers

This crime is affecting the lives of countless young women and girls in Canada.

In Canada over 90% of sex trafficking victims come from Canada. 2/3 of all trafficking in Canada happens in Ontario, with the vast majority being along the 401 Corridor.

90% of victims are female, but young men are targeted as well.

The average age of victims is 17. The average age of recruitment is 12-14years old.

Download our pamphlet to learn more:

Trafficking Can Happen to Anyone

Who is Affected

Sex trafficking can happen to any young person, regardless of age, culture, income, orientation, gender or neighbourhood. Traffickers find their young victims online, at schools, malls, parties, libraries and bus stops.

Although traffickers recruit from all areas and backgrounds, marginalized, racialized, lower-income young people are often more at risk.

Vulnerable Communities

Anyone can experience trafficking in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime. While it can happen to anyone, evidence suggests that BIPOC individuals and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience trafficking than other demographic groups. Generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination, and other societal factors and inequities create community-wide vulnerabilities. Traffickers recognize and take advantage of people who are vulnerable.

People may be vulnerable to trafficking if they:

Have an unstable living situation
Have previously experienced other forms of violence such as sexual abuse or domestic violence
Have run away or are involved in the child welfare system
Are facing poverty or economic need
Have a caregiver or family member who has a substance use issue
Are addicted to drugs or alcohol

Young woman with her head against her knees, sitting on the sidewalk.

Who are the Traffickers?

There is no evidence that traffickers are more likely to be of a particular race, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation. They may be family members, romantic partners, acquaintances, or strangers. Traffickers are using young men and women under their control to recruit others – a trafficker could be your child’s age (or close in age) and appear to be a regular friend or romantic partner.

Signals and Flags

The following are signals and red flags that indicate you are involved with or witness to human trafficking.

Lack of ID

Victim's identification is often withheld to prevent them from escaping, accessing services, opening bank accounts, or seeking medical care.

Tattoos/Branding

Victims are often branded with tattoos, burns, or other markings to identify which pimp they are owned by.

Drug Addictions

Victims are often given drugs to get them addicted to create a dependency on their pimps for their supply.

Afraid to Speak

Victims will often have someone speak and answer for them, or will look to someone else before answering anything, afraid saying the wrong thing will lead to being punished/assaulted. They may tend to adhere to scripted or rehearsed responses in social interaction.

Exhaustion

Victims are often working 15-19 hours a day to make money. If they don't meet their financial quota, they will be beaten or otherwise punished.

Malnourishment

In addition to physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, victims are often starved to maintain control, having to earn food and water.

Physical Injuries

Victims may have visible bruises, cuts, scrapes, burns, scars, broken bones, mouth or dental injuries as a result of abuse.

If you believe you are a victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please contact the Canadian National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-833-900-1010. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

Trafficking Lingo

Abuse is an attempt to control the behaviors of another person. It is a misuse of power, which uses the bonds of intimacy, trust and dependency to make the victim vulnerable.

How Are We Helping?

One of our biggest goals is providing safety and security through the residential shelter. Women can stay here. Rest here. Heal here. We are a safe space and can protect them from pimps or others from the trafficking lifestyle. On average, it takes 7 attempts to leave the Game. Our ultimate goal is to protect the clients who come to our door and work with them to get to a place where they are able to move forward, heal, and avoid going back into the life of trafficking. Of course, sometimes that is the reality, but we will be here the next time they leave and will try again. We recognize the difficult road to recovery and healing and are here to support women every step of the way, even if we’ve helped them with prior attempts to flee violence.

Woman holding another woman, consoling her.

Shelter Services

We are working hard to support survivors of Human Trafficking. Part of this includes providing a safe space for these women to begin their healing journey. Our staff is trained on an on-going basis to ensure that our knowledge is up-to-date and that our policies and procedures are current, trauma-informed, and client centric.

Tailored Healing Plan

What does that mean? It mean that while we recognize that there are some commonalities between our Human Trafficking (HT) clients, each woman may present with individual needs and need a plan tailored to their healing path.

Providing Support

We know that survivors may need all or some of the following: medical/dental care, replacement of personal identification documents, counselling/therapy, police services, addiction and/or mental health care, assistance and referrals for programs that assist with securing income, and assistance with securing housing options.

Some clients require support with nutrition, tattoo/branding removal, personal care, building a new wardrobe, and sometimes parenting. We also have items like sound machines to provide comfort while sleeping in a new place.

Public Educaton

We are working hard to combat Human Trafficking by providing Public Education in schools, workplaces, and in the community.

We are taking aim at the recruitment and grooming processes to help youth recognize the signs before they become a victim. Early education is key in prevention.

When youth are taught to recognize the signs, they can keep themselves and their peers safe. They will know what to look for and where to go when they see it.

Baldwin House's Public Educator at an event, teaching the community about the signs of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence.

Resources for Human Trafficking

Abuse is an attempt to control the behaviors of another person. It is a misuse of power, which uses the bonds of intimacy, trust and dependency to make the victim vulnerable.

Help Educate our Community

Download our pamphlet and share it with your community to help us inform the residents of Cornwall, SD&G, and Akwesasne of Human Trafficking and how to prevent it.

Download Pamphlet

Get Involved

Donations

Whether it's a one-time donation or a recurring contribution, every amount helps us support survivors of Human Trafficking and our public education program.

Donate Now

Book a Presentation

We are happy to present to any size crowd, in person or online, about Human Trafficking.

Book Now

Host a Fundraiser

Individuals and businesses do host fundraisers for the shelter from time to time. We are happy to support your fundraising endeavors by providing pamphlets, handouts, and can provide any information you may need. The best way to get the ball rolling on hosting a fundraiser for the shelter is to email us at mbhpubvol@baldwinhouse.ca to let us know who you are and what you would like to host in support of the shelter. We can then work together to create a successful fundraiser.

Human Sex Trafficking

The Facts

What is Sex Trafficking?

The Numbers

Who is Affected

Vulnerable Communities

Who are the Traffickers?

Signals and Flags

Lack of ID

Tattoos/Branding

Drug Addictions

Afraid to Speak

Exhaustion

Malnourishment

Physical Injuries

Trafficking Lingo

How Are We Helping?

Shelter Services

Tailored Healing Plan

Providing Support

Public Educaton

Resources for Human Trafficking

Help Educate our Community

Get Involved

Donations

Book a Presentation

Host a Fundraiser

CRISIS LINES

BUSINESS CONTACT

Human Sex Trafficking

The Facts

What is Sex Trafficking?

The Numbers

Who is Affected

Vulnerable Communities

Who are the Traffickers?

Signals and Flags

Lack of ID

Tattoos/Branding

Drug Addictions

Afraid to Speak

Exhaustion

Malnourishment

Physical Injuries

Trafficking Lingo

Automatic

Bottom

Branding

Brothel (a/k/a Cathouse or Whorehouse)

Caught A Case

Choosing Up

Circuit

Daddy

Exit Fee

Family/Folks

Finesse Pimp/Romeo Pimp

Gorilla (or Guerilla) Pimp

“John” (a/k/a Buyer or “Trick”)

Kiddie Stroll

Madam

Out of Pocket

Pimp Circle

Quota

Reckless Eyeballing

Renegade

Seasoning

Squaring Up

Stable

The Game/The Life

Trade Up/Trade Down

Trick

Turn Out

Wifeys/Wife-in-Law/Sister Wife

How Are We Helping?

Shelter Services

Tailored Healing Plan

Providing Support

Public Educaton

Resources for Human Trafficking

Help Educate our Community

Get Involved

Donations

Book a Presentation

Host a Fundraiser

CRISIS LINES

BUSINESS CONTACT