BLOG #4- Human trafficking a problem in Sudbury: police Officers say women being forced to work in the sex trade

CBCNEWS/CANADA  article posted on Feb 19, 2013 provides information about the increase of possible Human Trafficking/sex trade cases they are seeing in the Northern Ontario province in Canada as a result of more aggressive action by police in the Southern Ontario region.  The police department in Northern Ontario town Greater Sudbury is aggressively addressing the issue, according to the article.  Police officers will be participating in a four week training session geared toward recognizing the signs of exploitation of women, including the recruitment and transportation of victims.   Additionally, a victim’s advocacy group, Project Peace, also in Sudbury is working with victims once they are able to free themselves from their “pimp” or sex network to provide counseling and assistance through the police department.  After the officers receive their awareness training this month, a special team of officers will go into schools to educate children of the dangers of this growing world issue.  The article ends with  a reprint of a list of ways someone could possible recognize a victim of human trafficking.

This article is exactly what the citizens of the world need to be seeing and learning from.  The Greater Sudbury community, and country of Canada, is not waiting until the problem infests its borders-they are aggressively taking actions to recognize, and hopefully prevent, more girls and women from being caught up in human trafficking.  By providing tools, like the list of possible signs one might see in a victim, and connections to advocacy groups like Project Peace and the Sudbury Police Dept people as a culture will become more aware of the problem, and therefore can act in ways to prevent it.  By first training police officers, and then raising awareness in schools in the area the community of and around Sudbury is a good example of how awareness can lead to action, and action can lead to cultural change.

I strongly recommend reading and learning the signs of human trafficking as listed at the end of the article.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2013/02/19/sby-sudbury-police-human-trafficking-training.html

Shannon Yaw

2/22/13 2:54PM