Human Trafficking in Canada
The legal definition for human trafficking is recruiting, harbouring, transporting or controlling the movement of a person for the purpose of exploitation. Other elements of human trafficking are:
forced prostitution, forced production of video and photographic pornography, involuntary labor and involuntary servitude and debt bondage.
Most of the incidents are for the purpose of sex trafficking, and unfortunately it overwhelmingly takes place within Canada’s borders. These сrіmіnаlѕ nоw have ѕtrоng rооtѕ аnd аgеntѕ іn Canada, and ѕtау соnnесtеd thrоugh tесhnоlоgу.
Pоvеrtу, hоmеlеѕѕnеѕѕ, runaways, brоkеn fаmіlіеѕ, high ѕсhооl drор-оut rаtеѕ, роrnоgrарhу (mаѕѕ mеdіа): еасh аrе ѕtаnd-аlоnе ѕосіаl іѕѕuеѕ thаt perpetuate the increase in numbers of trafficking victims. Trаffісkеrѕ nоt оnlу lооk fоr vulnеrаblе аnd аt-rіѕk female уоuth, thеу tаrgеt thе mаlе рорulаtіоn tо еnlіѕt them as buyers. In Canada, the number of reported incidents of human trafficking doubled between 2010 and 2014. Currently, the RCMP have 306 incidents of human trafficking on the record.
Law enforcement is hard pressed to track every child, especially runaways when the level of danger is unclear. Private investigators can help fill that gap by offering to track and find missing youth involved in the trafficking industry. The lack of police and community resources often force the parents and loved ones to hire private investigators to focus on their child. They want action now. Private Investigators have the time and the resources and will work with the family and friends of the victim trying to track down leads. Investigators can offer a glimmer of hope to the family when they think no one is listening. There have been instances where police forces have inintetionally ignored families suspicion of trafficking incidents and viewed them as prostitution situations and not given the case the serious attention that it deserved.
Often private investigators are skilled in deep dive internet searches and can monitor sex trafficking sites, and social media sites of the missing girls then set up surveillance and bring in the police to make an arrest and save the victim. Some law agencies are grateful for the extra private eyes and ears dedicated to bringing home runaways or tracing girls; and some boys, who are enslaved into the sex trade and need help returning to a normal life.
The other issue private investigators can assist with in trafficking cases is handling the media. Often the media only highlights high profile cases and when attention dissipates, the investigators can keep a case alive through their contacts and social media, private advertising etc.
Some of the red-flag indicators of human trafficking are apartments or houses with tin foil, bars or other coverings on the windows, a large number of people for one living space, lack of private space or personal possessions, or random various vehicles frequently visiting the house.
If you suspect someone you know or love has disappeared as a result of human trafficking, remember that a private investigator is an excellent resource to assist with bringing the missing person home safe and sound.
