Since 2010 the number of reported cases of human trafficking in Canada has been on the rise, but it may not be a bad thing.
In 2016, Canadian police services reported 340 incidents of human trafficking, where it was the most severe violation.
Bally Bassi, Community Social and Justice Manager at the Elizabeth Fry Society in Prince George, said it’s never going to be easy for victims to come forward but the right resources can help open the door.
“The numbers around human trafficking and sex trafficking could be going up related to the education and awareness around human trafficking and people having more supportive resources to be able to report.”
British Columbia has the fifth-highest number for reported cases of human trafficking in Canada with 35 cases reported between 2009 to 2016.
Bassi said when it comes to crisis response, there is a lot more collaboration between different agencies to address human trafficking these days, adding that adequate housing has a significant impact as well.
She said that in BC, they see all types of human trafficking, including sex, labour, and domestic trafficking.
“It’s all across the boards, statically you see high rates in various age and demographics; however, human trafficking crosses every socio-economic demographic.”
Anyone needing help can reach out to organizations like the Elizabeth Fry Society to access resources.