Humans are the second-most trafficked item in the world behind drugs, a group at Grant MacEwan University heard as part of Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week.
“The legislation that came out in 2005 was connected to a case in Calgary where it came to people’s attention that human trafficking was happening,” said Kimberly Ferland of Edmonton’s Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT).
Though charges have been brought, Alberta has had no human trafficking convictions.
Across Canada only a few trafficking charges have stuck, perhaps because the Criminal Code puts the onus on victims who are often still too paralyzed with fear, said Ferland.
Last month human trafficking charges against Sachi massage parlour from 2009 — where police say they rescued three women forced to perform sex acts — crumbled due to “significant witness issues,” and the accused pleaded guilty to lesser charges of keeping a common bawdy house.
Ferland says most people don’t see the forced labour and sex market as a local one.
But sporting events, malls, group homes and the Internet are hubs where people, usually youth, are being lured and deceived into sexual exploitation with the promise of “big money.”
The UN says human trafficking is a $42.5-billion industry and 80 per cent of victims are women.
“The legislation that came out in 2005 was connected to a case in Calgary where it came to people’s attention that human trafficking was happening,” said Kimberly Ferland of Edmonton’s Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT).
Though charges have been brought, Alberta has had no human trafficking convictions.
Across Canada only a few trafficking charges have stuck, perhaps because the Criminal Code puts the onus on victims who are often still too paralyzed with fear, said Ferland.
Last month human trafficking charges against Sachi massage parlour from 2009 — where police say they rescued three women forced to perform sex acts — crumbled due to “significant witness issues,” and the accused pleaded guilty to lesser charges of keeping a common bawdy house.
Ferland says most people don’t see the forced labour and sex market as a local one.
But sporting events, malls, group homes and the Internet are hubs where people, usually youth, are being lured and deceived into sexual exploitation with the promise of “big money.”
The UN says human trafficking is a $42.5-billion industry and 80 per cent of victims are women.
No comments:
Post a Comment