Human trafficking victims get help in rebuilding lives
It took years for Victoria Morrison to finally break free from her abuser and escape an ugly life in Winnipeg where she was trafficked in the sex-trade world.
The 26-year-old Windsor woman finally found the strength to return home, but she needed a variety of supports from several agencies to get back on her feet and start a new, healthier life. “After such a long time being trafficked, I was trying to get my life back,” Morrison said.
“I was coming back here with nothing. I have some support of family, but they couldn’t help me with everything in the ways I needed.”
She first turned to WEFIGHT, a project at Legal Assistance of Windsor designed to aid those fleeing a life of human trafficking by first providing shelter, then counselling services, plus covering basic food and clothing necessities. “I became a client last August,” Morrison said.
“They helped me get to House of Sophrosyne’s 35-day (addiction) program. Then helped me get an apartment and certain things I needed like cleaning supplies, bedding and dishes.”
The young woman spoke of countless other victims caught in the sex-trade world as escorts or dancers, many who are under someone’s thumb in a web of physical abuse and addictions.
“People might think things are normal for a dancer or escort because they are making money and they are OK,” Morrison said. “But a big portion of the women are forced to do it. A lot of people don’t see the signs — or don’t want to see them. Abusers go after girls because, unfortunately, there is a lot of money involved in that type of business.
“They use things like threats of violence or get women addicted to drugs so that it’s hard to break away,” she said.
“A lot of women don’t have any support systems.” Morrison told her personal story on Wednesday during the launch of a new “House to Home” program being launched by WEFIGHT thanks to a $5,000 grant from Caesars Windsor.
The funds will be used to help victims of human trafficking, such as Morrison, by providing each with a package of household goods that includes cleaning, kitchen and other household products to aid them in creating a home. “We donated (the funds) to the House to Home initiative to help survivors — who have gone through so much — get back on their feet,” said Mary Riley, vicepresident of marketing for Caesars Windsor.
It’s anticipated the funds may aid up to 50 victims of human trafficking in the coming weeks, said Amanda Pierce, anti-human trafficking project co-ordinator for Legal Assistance of Windsor. “This will provide an opportunity for them to select the right
They come to us from very difficult situations and very horrific situations. They come with very little in terms of personal possessions.
supplies for their own home and help them on their journey to recovery,” she said.
The local agency has more than 70 open cases of human trafficking victims it is currently supporting, ranging in age from the youngest at 12 years old up to 60, Pierce said. “Human trafficking is the sale of people for somebody ’s benefit,” she said. “We work with survivors of sex trafficking, labour trafficking or forced marriage that we see in Windsor and Essex County or (who) comes to us internationally. “They come to us from very difficult situations and very horrific situations. They come with very little in terms of personal possessions. We try to provide for their physical needs, but demonstrate to them how there are people in our community who care deeply about them and their recovery.” Pierce described her work and that of others in the WEFIGHT program as being “very emotional,” but also rewarding to see someone such as Morrison begin to emerge in a positive direction after receiving “just a little support that has provided so much hope” in creating a new life.
To learn more about the WEFIGHT program or how to donate, call Pierce or ask for someone in the program at 519-256-7831.