Dispelling common myths about human trafficking
Friday is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Ontario and it troubles me that the average Torontonian still knows so little about this all- too- common crime.
Too many of us imagine this crime as it appears in popular films and TV shows. As a human trafficking survivor and advocate for vulnerable youth, I know that human trafficking looks different from the fictionalized and sometimes glamourized version projected in pop culture.
My aim is to help dispel myths that allow this deeply exploitative crime to persist. I want to make more people aware of the nuances and complexities of trafficking to help increase the chances of identifying and helping victims, as I once was.
Myth 1: Trafficking victims are foreign nationals or are only immigrants from other countries.
Reality: According to a report from the 2015 Select Committee on Sexual Violence and Harassment, 90 per cent of human trafficking victims are Canadian born, with Ontario a hub for human trafficking and the sex trade. In other words, Canadian at- risk youth are the face of this terrible trade. It’s runaways, homeless and youth affected by mental health and substance abuse issues or low self- esteem, often from average and even middle- class communities across Canada, that are the most victimized.
Myth 2: If the trafficked person consented to be in their initial situation, then it cannot be human trafficking or against their will because they “knew better.”
Reality: This myth is one that continues to endure, particularly in the minds of victims of human trafficking, often so readily that many do not identify themselves as such because of this misconception. Traffickers will often convince their victims to enter into the sex industry under false pretenses; leading victims into the trade by some deceptive means or convincing them that they will only be expected to work for a short time, until a debt is paid or money is saved.
This manipulation is then followed by psychological control, intimidation, and violence to make the victim fearful of leaving the work. Often, traffickers will actively seek out vulnerable victims, approaching them as a friend, a protector or as a love interest. This is why anyone can be a victim. Indeed, this crime crosses all racial, religious and social- economical boundaries. No one is too rich, or too educated, to be lured by a trafficker.
Myth 3: There must be some elements of physical restraint, force or bondage for human trafficking to be present.
Reality: Some victims of human trafficking are kidnapped, drugged and locked away. But most are not. In fact, victims may live on their own, or even at home with their parents. Some may never experience any physical abuse from their traffickers.
Human trafficking involves multiple forms of control. Among the most powerful of these is psychological control. Because traffickers are masters of manipulation, they employ multiple tactics to ensure their victims are fully dependent on them, isolating them from family and friends and often threatening the safety of their loved ones if they should ever consider leaving.
Due to the overwhelming trauma experienced, many victims suffer PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation and have an overall sense of hopelessness that erodes their ability to try to leave. For all these reasons, physical force or coercion isn’t always a marker of the presence of human trafficking.
Thankfully, through the dedication of politicians, activist, law enforcement and partnerships like the Toronto Counter Human Trafficking Network, our community leaders are working relentlessly to end human trafficking. But they need everyone’s support.
We all should be informed and aware of what human trafficking really is. We can’t continue to let Hollywood depictions cause victims to be allowed to be trafficked in plain sight. All Torontonians should have some difficult conversations with their loved ones of all genders and generations. Because it is through knowledge and collaboration that we can successfully work toward eradicating human trafficking.