Today, July 30, marks the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Human trafficking isn’t just happening in faraway places – it is a major problem right here in Canada. The federal government recently acknowledged that:
Canada is “a source, transit, and destination country for individuals subjected to sex trafficking”.
“Human trafficking for sexual exploitation continues to constitute the majority of trafficking cases encountered by law enforcement across Canada, most often in large urban centres and with most victims being Canadian women and girls, with Indigenous women and girls being disproportionately represented as victims”.
“the vast majority (90%) of victims/survivors were female”.
The government has also reported that children “make up about one quarter (23%) of victims”, and that the “trafficking and exploitation of young women and girls, particularly for sexual exploitation, is a growing concern, especially online.”
CLF has been actively contributing to the fight against human trafficking in Canada, creating public awareness, helping decisionmakers understand Canada’s international human rights obligations, and supporting laws that eliminate the demand for sex trafficking.
Today, and every day, we stand with victims and survivors, and renew our commitment to working towards the abolition of sex trafficking in Canada.
FURTHER READING:
CLF’s submissions to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (English, French); Analysis of Committee’s report
CLF’s participation in the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform & Criminal Justice Policy’s consultations re the Palermo Protocol
CLF’s submissions to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics re online exploitation
CLF is an NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations (Economic and Social Council).
