Sex trafficking—forcing someone to have sex for money against their will—seems like a far-off, big-city scourge. But not only do traffickers bring their victims to Kawartha Lakes to work, young people in our area are also recruited by these criminals. That information isn’t intended to caremonger, but rather to remind us that we all have a part to play in supporting vulnerable young people, especially young women at risk of being lured into a life they never wanted.
Sex work is often glamourized in movies or on social media, but trafficking is anything but glamorous, says La-Ferne Powell, residential services manager at Women’s Resources. There’s no mansion, no fast cars, no champagne and designer clothes. It’s a whole cruel industry built on the willingness of men to pay for sex with someone regardless of her wellbeing or basic humanity. (People of any gender can be trafficked; the focus at WR is on women.)
Although there’s no one way to eliminate sex trafficking, there are things parents, teachers, friends and community members can do. We need to pay more attention to our young people,” La-Ferne says. “We need to teach our teenagers, both boys and girls, about healthy relationships and what the expectation is, about boundaries.”
Abusers groom girls and women who are vulnerable and may not have anyone else to turn to, then start asking them to perform sexually for favours and eventually money. Girls who are confident, who know what’s unacceptable in a relationship and who have strong support from family and friends have better defences against trafficking.
Parents may not want to intrude on their children’s lives, but they can watch for worrisome signs among teenaged girls such as coming home with unexplained money or consumer items they wouldn’t be able to afford on their own. If they are becoming more isolated from friends and refusing family outings, that’s worth investigating. The same is true if a young woman starts posting increasingly sexualized content on her social media, or is commenting in a more explicit way.
Traffickers will often physically abuse the women they are trafficking, so new bruises are a cause for concern. It’s not uncommon for them to brand their victims. If several girls turn up with the same tattoos, ask questions. Teachers, parents and friends will also notice if a girl’s boyfriend seems to be controlling the girl by limiting what she can do and whom she can spend time with.
We could also start much earlier, La-Ferne suggests. We can limit young children’s exposure to social media and ensure that if they watch YouTube or other online content, there’s an adult nearby. New AI tools make it possible to put innocently familiar cartoon characters into sexualized situations, and even regular videos aimed at children show characters cheating on partners, valuing expensive things and getting into fights. And you never know what an algorithm might offer a young viewer next La-Ferne says. “Even though it says a video is rated G, it may not be. As a parent or caregiver, you have to be vigilant.”
If you are being forced to have sex for money, or if you know someone who is or might be, there’s help at Women’s Resources. Call our 24/7 Crisis Support Line at 1-705-878-3662 or 1-800-565-5350.
By Nancy Payne
