| |
Newsroom /
Society
/
Society
/
Canada Slow To Recognize Human Slavery in Canada
Canada Slow To Recognize Human Slavery in Canada
On Tuesday September 7th 2010 three anti trafficking campaigns were launched. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Crime Stoppers and the RCMP launched a campaign aimed to inform Canadians of human trafficking and how to recognize it. The public awareness campaign was launched on the success of Bill C-268 coming into law on June 17 2010. The bill put forward by Manitoba MP Joy Smith's tireless lobbying to implement a five year minimum sentence for those convicted of human trafficking.
Toronto,
Ontario ,
Canada
(prbd.net)
09/09/2010
"Despite an awareness campaign the Canadian government continues to take a slow and weak approach to helping current and potential human trafficking victims."
On Tuesday September 7th 2010 three anti trafficking campaigns were launched. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, Crime Stoppers and the RCMP launched a campaign aimed to inform Canadians of human trafficking and how to recognize it. The public awareness campaign was launched on the success of Bill C-268 coming into law on June 17 2010. The bill put forward by Manitoba MP Joy Smith's tireless lobbying to implement a five year minimum sentence for those convicted of human trafficking.
In response to Toews press conference, Benjamin Perrin, author of a forthcoming book, entitled Invisible Chains, documenting the depth of the problem in Canada. "These are small steps that are filling gaps, but really what is needed is a national action plan." Echoing other critics, Perrin said a comprehensive plan must involve better co-operation, co-ordination and training of law enforcement agencies to recognize trafficking and also provide more protection for victims, most of whom are forced into the sex trade, so they have the courage to turn in their abusers.
Victims, Profits and Justice
According to www.canadafightshumantrafficking.com, there are approximately 27 Million people world-wide presently enslaved. Human trafficking in Canada has become epidemic as organized crime groups seek profits from the lightly prosecuted crime with millions of potential domestic and international victims. The Public Safety Minister Vic Toews announcement does well to focus the attention on foreign victims brought to Canada and little mention of domestic victims. Understandably, what political party wants awareness that slavery has targeted Canadian victims for as few as two decades without any law making response or effort to recover the victims? In 2005 Canada had no Criminal Code offence for human trafficking. Prior to 2005 little recognition was given by the government on the issue and the police spent little time arresting criminals they could not prosecute.
Finding Victims and Those Responsible
Police officers looking for victims need to do more than drag a net along street corners, for victims lie in motel rooms, massage parlours, escort agencies and strip clubs. Vice officers in Peel have estimated that 90 per cent of exotic dancers in clubs across the Greater Toronto Area are trafficked. Craigslist has been used to sell girls as young as 14. On September 4th 2010 Craigslist USA shut down their adult services section of their site after lobbying by the US law makers. Craigslist Canada continues to operate Erotic Services. Despite MP Joy Smiths lobbying attempts, Canada's slow and uncoordinated effort to shut down highly visible and public venues that solicit sex for money is almost nonexistent.
Who Is Involved With Slavery In Canada?
Retired Toronto Police Juvenile Task Force head Dave Perry “The Russian mafia runs girls, the Hells Angels runs girls. There's a lot of Asian human trafficking going on, locally and from abroad. It's everywhere now.” According to Criminal Intelligence Services of Canada 2008 annual report "street gangs are active within the domestic TIP (trafficking in persons) market for the purposes of sexual exploitation. These groups facilitate the recruitment, control, movement and exploitation of Canadian-born females in the domestic sex trade, primarily in strip bars in several cities across the country."
Without tougher minimum sentencing and even a modest effort by police to shut down strip clubs, massage parlours and sites soliciting escort services Canadians will continue to be forced into prostitution. Victims can do little to avoid these street gangs and organized crime groups as they continue to find victims everywhere. Facebook, coffee shops, hostiles and malls have all been used to find victims. Current and future victims only hope is that Public Safety Minister Toews and the RCMP follow up with more than a public awareness campaign and come through with a tough national plan to combat and deter crime groups from victimizing Canadians in the first place.
Author: A.V. Joe. To report human trafficking in Canada call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS). Do not use a cell phone when calling as these calls could be monitored by scanners. Use a secure land line number or text your message to CRIMES (274637). For immediate action call 911 or your local police department. For help for people forced into prostitution in Canada call or visit Crime Stoppers at http://www.canadiancrimestoppers.org.
|