When Progressive Conservative MPP Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock) first learned about the issue of sex trafficking in Ontario, she thought she was in a third-world country.

But that’s the reality facing the province, she says, as it happens everywhere…even in Timmins.

Scott has been working on legislation over the last three years, after learning about it from a lady she had previously worked with. Back then, Scott says she had no idea how prevalent it was.

Now, she’s making a point to talk with police services, victims services and other city officials in a roundtable setting everywhere she goes to get feedback.

Scott is in Timmins as part of the PC’s annual caucus retreat, being held Thursday and Friday.

And she came prepared too, with some staggering stats:

  • Over 93 per cent of victims in Canada are Canadian-born
  • Victims are an average age of 14 years old
  • A victim can be lured and gone in around 24 hours

The MPP says traffickers utilize different methods to lure victims, either by the Internet, schoolyards, group homes and even the mall.

“And they’re trapped in this life of whether they’re addicted or coerced that this trafficker, pimp is their boyfriend and life’s going to get better,” she adds, “And they are basically exploited sexually.  They keep nothing, no profits. It’s all going to the pimp or trafficker.”

“It’s one of the largest growing crimes in the Province of Ontario, and it’s incredibly lucrative so it’s not going away.”

Scott mentions the Liberals passed her “Saving The Girl Next Door Act.” However, she adds there’s more that needs to be done.

“It’s a tough topic, and not everybody wants to think it’s happening in their areas.”

Scott says First Nations children are a vulnerable community too. She notes while there’s a different feel between the James Bay coast and the GTA, it’s the same thing.

In terms of the exploitation itself, she adds it’s mostly done in hotels or motels. But in smaller communities, it’s common to have it happen in residential areas.

Sometimes, she says, these girls have to perform 15 tricks a day just to eat.

So how does the awareness get out there? They have to get into the schools, Scott says, adding that task can prove difficult.

One of the big things is to teach both boys and girls how to treat each other.

As well, Scott says victims services need the tools to provide support.

“Just to even start to heal (a victim) is about three years,” she adds. “Manitoba is far ahead of us as a province in dealing with human sex trafficking, especially in First Nations.”

Another thing is giving police the tools and training.

“There’s (no) mandatory training for police,” she said, “They’d do more, if they had more.”

TPS Sargent Lorne Yee was on hand, and echoed Scott’s sentiments to bring awareness into schools.

“Start (the awareness) when they’re young, and once they get to a point, they’ll understand that it’s not normal, they know that they’re being used,” Yee said, “It’s something that shouldn’t be happening to them.”

Julie DeMarchi of the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis adds victims are coming through the shelters at a rapid rate. She adds they’ve heard one in three victims identify as First Nations.

“Those numbers are quite high,” she said.

DeMarchi says in Northern Ontario and up the coast, it looks a lot more like exploitation, based on discussions she’s had.

“When we say human trafficking, a lot of folks locally might think ‘Oh, I haven’t seen that, that doesn’t really happen here,’ it does,” she said, “Because exploitation is part of human trafficking and that’s really key.”

“The whole community needs to be aware of it (with) the public education,” added Scott, “And then the numbers to call their police, their victims services or the sexual assault centres.”

“There is no young girl out there that should be sexually exploited against their will. This is not normal in society, and we are here to help them.”

Filed under: Local News