Two charged after woman forced to work as prostitute

Two people from Toronto are facing human trafficking charges after Windsor police found a woman who was forced to work as a prostitute.

Police described the victim as a woman in her 20s who isn’t from this area. Officers met her on May 9 at a downtown hall after receiving a call about a woman in distress. The woman was injured when police found her. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

The next day, she told investigators her story: In the summer of 2017, she met a man from the Toronto area and they began dating. As the relationship continued, the man allegedly took on more of a controlling role. He eventually took the woman’s identification from her and began dictating her actions, including prostituting herself.

The woman told police she was assaulted, sexually assaulted and threatened with a gun.

On May 8, the two travelled to Windsor with a second woman. According to the victim, the purpose of the trip was for her and the second woman to work as escorts, with the man keeping all the money.

The victim told police that when she tried to escape while they were all staying at a downtown Windsor hotel, her travel companions beat her and stole her possessions. Members of the Windsor police morality unit were able to determine the identities of the man and the woman who accompanied the victim.

The suspects were located in the Chatham-Kent area. Chatham-Kent police assisted in the arrests and both individuals have since been brought back to Windsor. The man — a 27-year-old Toronto resident — has been charged with human trafficking, receiving material benefit from trafficking in persons, procuring a person to provide sexual services, withholding documents for the purpose of human trafficking, sexual assault, assault, forcible confinement, pointing a firearm, and two counts of breaching terms of recognizance. The second woman, who is 24 and also from Toronto, has been charged with human trafficking, robbery, two counts of assault causing bodily harm, assault, and mischief.

Police said the names of the two accused won’t be released. Community organizations are helping with the injured woman’s recovery.

Anyone who knows of a victim in these circumstances is urged to call the police morality unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4343.