Summary
Highlights
A select committee on sexual violence and harassment identified Ontario as a major hub for human trafficking. Piya introduces the panel: Olivia Carville (Investigative Reporter), Martin Dick (Lead Detective, Halton Regional Police Service's Human Trafficking and Vice Unit), Carly Kalish (Individual and Family Therapist), and Laurie Hermiston (Advocacy Coordinator at the Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto). The discussion begins by emphasizing that human trafficking, recognized in the Criminal Code since 2005, is considered a modern-day form of slavery.
Olivia Carville explains that the main difference between prostitution and human sex trafficking is 'choice.' In prostitution, individuals choose their clients, services, and keep their earnings. In human trafficking, victims lose all choice, and their earnings are controlled by the trafficker.
Martin Dick explains the rapid increase in human trafficking cases in Toronto, with a 113% rise in occurrences and a 360% increase in arrests since 2014. He attributes this growth to increased law enforcement resources targeting the crime and its lucrative nature. Unlike drug dealing where a product is sold once, a human trafficking victim can be exploited multiple times daily, making it a highly profitable crime.
Carly Kalish highlights that victims can be anyone, but those at highest risk have individual factors (low self-esteem, past abuse, family issues) and systemic factors (racialized, Indigenous, from communities with high crime or lacking social resources). Laurie Hermiston notes victims as young as 13, often from complex backgrounds including child welfare. Carly Kalish adds that the average age of clients at East Metro Youth Services is 16, with some as young as 12.
Martin Dick details how traffickers (often men) groom vulnerable young girls. They frequent places where young people gather: schools, malls, bus depots, train stations, sporting events, and music concerts. Online grooming through social media is also a significant method. Traffickers often use the 'boyfriend card,' making girls feel loved and special, gradually isolating them and creating financial dependency, a process Carly Kalish calls the 'honeymoon stage' that transitions to exploitation for money.
The 401 corridor and Q.E.W are identified as primary locations for trafficking. Martin Dick states that every hotel and motel along these routes is likely to house trafficking victims at some point. Olivia Carville recounts observations from her investigations, witnessing suspicious activities at motels, including men waiting outside rooms or in cars while girls attend to 'clients.' She notes a shift from 'sleazy' motels towards mainstream hotels for trafficking activities.
Martin Dick explains the importance of educating hotel staff to recognize signs of human trafficking. Signs include individuals without identification, females constantly looking to a male for guidance, visible injuries, multiple suitcases, and 'Do Not Disturb' signs remaining on doors for extended periods. Carly Kalish adds that frequent requests for towels from a single room can also be a red flag, as victims may be forced to shower multiple times. Education of these 'eyes and ears' in the community is crucial.
Victims describe being 'trained like a robot,' living a cycle of 'work, money, eat, sleep.' They are controlled in every aspect of their lives, from what they wear and eat to when they sleep. Olivia Carville emphasizes the profound control traffickers exert and the immense bravery of survivors who share their stories. Laurie Hermiston highlights the unique vulnerabilities of Indigenous girls facing intergenerational trauma, often introduced to the trade by family members or coming from child welfare and incarceration.
Olivia Carville reveals that despite increased charges, human trafficking conviction rates in Ontario are alarmingly low (e.g., 7% in one court). This is largely due to victims recanting testimony, often still traumatized or maintaining emotional ties to their traffickers, whom they perceive as boyfriends. Carly Kalish and Martin Dick emphasize the urgent need for education within the justice system (judges, prosecutors, defense counsel) to understand the complex dynamics of human trafficking, which is often not recognized as modern-day slavery.
Laurie Hermiston stresses the critical need for exit strategies, particularly housing, as many programs are age-limited. She emphasizes cultural support for Indigenous women to reconnect with their identities. Carly Kalish highlights the need to expand trauma-based programs, involve staff with lived experience (peer support), and implement non-fear-based education in schools about healthy relationships to empower youth to make informed choices. Martin Dick concludes that education is the best tool to combat this heinous crime across all sectors of society.