Myths about human trafficking
Myth: Human trafficking is an international crime that involves sneaking someone across a border.
Fact: Human trafficking is sometimes confused with human smuggling, but in reality it may or may not involve moving someone across a border. In most reported cases of human trafficking in Ontario, the person trafficked is from Canada and is recruited within Canada.
Myth: Human trafficking happens in developing countries, not in places like Ontario.
Fact: Human trafficking occurs throughout the world, including here. According to the RCMP, there have been 269 cases in Ontario since 2005 where human trafficking specific charges were laid. Since human trafficking is an underreported crime, the actual number of cases is likely much larger.
Myth: All sex workers are victims of human trafficking.
Fact: If an adult chooses to engage in consensual, paid sex work on their own terms and is not controlled and exploited by another person, it is not considered human trafficking.
Myth: Sex trafficking can only happen to people who use drugs or have other serious risk factors.
Fact: While some groups have been identified as at-risk, there are also cases in which no known risk factors are present. In those cases, traffickers often target very young people and may build trust during a "grooming" period before exploitation begins.
Myth: If a person isn’t kept locked up or in chains they can always just leave.
Fact: Some people who are trafficked are controlled and monitored constantly and don’t have the opportunity to ask for help. Others may not realize or acknowledge what is happening to them or that it is a crime. In some cases, they may fear their trafficker or law enforcement too much to risk seeking help. They may also be manipulated to believe that the trafficker is the only person who cares about them and that they are best off staying with their trafficker.