What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is a crime and human rights abuse that’s sometimes called “modern day slavery.”
There are different types of human trafficking that take place in Ontario, including sex trafficking and labour trafficking. Forced marriage is also considered a form of human trafficking.
Traffickers control people in many ways, including psychological manipulation, emotional abuse, lies, addiction, threats, violence, isolation, and taking control of ID/documents and money.
Because this treatment can cause severe trauma, survivors often need intensive, specialized services and supports to rebuild their lives.
Sometimes human trafficking is confused with human smuggling (across borders). In reality, most of the people trafficked in Ontario are girls and women who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
While human trafficking is a vastly under-reported crime, Ontario is a major centre for human trafficking in Canada, with about two-thirds of reported cases arising in Ontario.