Police defend national undercover operation aimed at sex-trade victims
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Police are defending a national undercover operation aimed at rescuing sextrade victims after an advocacy group criticized it as manipulative and deceptive.
The St. John’s Status of Women Council issued a hard-hitting statement last week about Operation Northern Spotlight, saying the annual initiative should be stopped because it targets sex workers for interrogation whether on not they want to leave the industry.
The operation, which wrapped up Sunday, has undercover officers across the country posing as potential clients in the escort sex trade. The officers arrange meetings in hotel rooms, where sex workers are interviewed to identify victims of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
“Pulling people out of the sex industry without their consent and penalizing those who do not agree to exit the sex industry does not ‘save’ or ‘rescue’ them,” said Jenny Wright, executive director of the St. John’s council.
“This deters sex workers from turning to the police to report crime.”
In a statement late Wednesday, however, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said officers involved in the operation are “extremely sensitive” and understand the challenges faced by sex workers.
“These individuals are not arrested or detained and are immediately told that it is a police operation,” the force said in a statement.
“All individuals are treated with the utmost respect and are advised that they are able to leave at any time ... Individuals who officers have spoken with are typically very receptive to this operation as they realize that the intention is not to criminalize their work, but rather to make sure that they are safe.”
The RCMP released a statement this week saying 324 interviews with sex trade workers in seven provinces resulted in 14 arrests. A total of 57 police agencies took part, and similar operations were conducted in the United States,
Pulling people out of the sex industry without their consent and penalizing those who do not agree to exit the sex industry does not ‘save’ or ‘rescue’ them.”
Jenny Wright,
St. John’s Status of Women Council
Europe and Asia.
The Mounties say the hotel meetings are aimed at those suspected of working against their will, or who are believed to be at high risk of being trafficked. In all, six sex trade workers were removed from “exploitive situations,” including two under the age of 18, the RCMP said.
The RCMP statement included reaction from an advocacy group in Eastern Ontario that offers help to sexually exploited victims.
“Our first priority is always the safety and well-being of those individuals who are at risk of being exploited and harmed in heinous human trafficking situations (and) the police are essential in achieving this objective,” said Simone Bell, founder of the Hope Found Project, Voice Found.
“We’re not talking about adults willingly partaking in the sex trade. We’re talking about vulnerable women, girls and others being abused and forced into committing sexual acts for someone else’s profit.”
However, Wright says Operation Northern Spotlight is based on deception and manipulation, which fosters distrust and adversarial relationships with police.
“We have been working with the police in good faith to find strategies to reduce violence against sex workers .... (but) Operation Northern Spotlight has broken that trust,” said Wright.