The Salvation Army Stands Strong to Support Survivors of Human Trafficking in Ontario

For those experiencing human trafficking, the journey toward exiting is long and challenging. The Salvation Army celebrates the bravery and resiliency of those taking those steps and will do whatever it can to walk alongside and support them in their quest for freedom.

Ontario accounts for 66 per cent of all of Canada’s human trafficking incidents, according to Statistics Canada. February 22 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, but The Salvation Army’s Ontario Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT) Response team is dedicated to serving and supporting people with lived experience year-round.

Across Canada in 2023, The Salvation Army MSHT team helped 53 survivors exit their human  trafficking situation. MSHT Response teams supported 605 survivors nationally in 2023: of those, 499 experienced sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, 108 experienced labour trafficking and labour exploitation and three were in a forced marriage.

As a Divisional MSHT Response Advocate based in Toronto, Major Carolyn Simpson works to educate and raise awareness of MSHT warning signs, methods and risks, both within The Salvation Army and in the community. The greater the awareness and knowledge, the less power human traffickers have to exploit innocent people of all ages, genders, and walks of life.

“Knowing the warning signs is critical because human trafficking is happening across Ontario. The Salvation Army is committed to increasing awareness of the issues and dangers in Ontario and to address the misconception that human trafficking only happens somewhere else,” Major Simpson says.

In Ontario, human trafficking may go unrecognized, but it is happening all around us. It happens with teens who unknowingly form relationships on-line with the wrong people and suddenly find themselves being exploited. Teens may go to school by day but experience exploitation at night. If parents, teachers and friends were aware of the signs, it could be prevented.

Human trafficking also involves labour trafficking, where a workers’ wages are small, living conditions may be deplorable, and identification documents are withheld by employers. If workers who make house calls knew the signs of MSHT, they might be able to notice and report a situation to authorities. These are just two examples of the ways knowledge can help combat MSHT.

The Salvation Army Toronto Harbour Light’s Immigration and Refugee Services works to inform and support immigrants , refugees, newcomers, and temporary foreign workers, thereby preventing MSHT and advocating for those with lived experience. At The Salvation Army’s London Corrections and Justice Services, several programs are available for victims and survivors of MSHT. These include the Phoenix Peer Support Outreach Program, Prevention Awareness and Education, the Dignity Project Evening Virtual Drop In, Journey to Justice and the Sex Buyer Accountability program.

In 2023, London Correction and Justice Services held 58 MSHT presentations for 1,785 attendees, distributed 42 crisis kits, provided follow up services to 37 individuals who experienced sex trafficking, provided trauma counselling to 18 survivors, assisted 16 with legal matters and assisted 4 people in exiting sex trafficking.

The Salvation Army also has programs in Ontario to educate, empower, and increase resiliency for girls at risk through Woven at North York Temple and through the support of Brave events across the province. Lawson Ministries in Hamilton provides sex education and internet safety training for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Salvation Army emergency shelters provide safe havens and wrap around services for those with lived experience and shelter those at risk for MSHT. With the help of the Ontario team’s devoted efforts to increase awareness, the hope is to end MSHT once and for all through public education, prevention, outreach and addressing the demand.

“There is so much hope because we believe there’s real potential to end human trafficking through prevention and education.  When people understand the signs, risks, and methods of MSHT, they are empowered to speak up when they see something or may avoid making choices personally that could lead to exploitation,” Major Simpson says. “The Salvation Army will continue to address this injustice openly and work hard to educate people from all walks of life. The Salvation Army draws wisdom from those with lived experience and will continue to provide trauma-informed support to survivors around the province.”

To learn more about the risks, methods, and warning signs of MSHT, visit www. salvationist.ca/trafficking for programs, webinars, video resources and the free introduction to MSHT certification housed at The Salvation Army’s Booth University College. If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the Canadian National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010.