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Local groups challenge demand in hope of reducing human trafficking continued from p.5 "If police see a person purchasing sex, whether as a tourist or a citizen, they will have the ability to arrest them and lay charges." Invidiata holds presentations at local schools to educate students, particularly young girls, about the dangers of human trafficking. Brown said virtually all the human trafficking victims he comes into contact with are women from Canada. Some, he said, are from Halton. Invidiata has previously stated traffickers will approach girls as young as 12 and 14 in malls and other places and zero in on the most naïve, with low self-esteem or otherwise vulnerable. She said the trafficker can be as young as 18 or 20 and showers girls with affection and flattery, enabling a relationship where the girl is brainwashed and groomed for prostitution. MacLeod said traffickers are also recruiting girls through Facebook and dating websites. In other cases, she said, kids have recruited their own classmates. "Instead of bullying, they are forcing them to do things like have sex for money," said MacLeod. Baker-Reed said the region needs a coordinated strategy for dealing with the survivors of human trafficking. She said SAVIS has applied to the Province for funding to hire a coordinator who would be responsible for coordinating all relevant services needed to help these victims, as well provide case management. For the time being, Baker-Reed said the hard part is reaching women involved in human trafficking. She said SAVIS continues to advertise its 24hour crisis line (905-875-1555), but noted most of these victims are too afraid to seek help. When someone who has been recently victimized does come to SAVIS' attention, they are prioritized to receive service immediately. SAVIS offers counselling programs, support group services and more. "Often, when we meet a survivor of human trafficking, they are in a state of crisis. They have potentially left their trafficker. They are likely homeless, they have major safety issues in terms of not being found again by their trafficker, they often don't have any identifying documents. So their needs are immediate," said Baker-Reed. "When we meet someone in that crisis stage, we work with police in finding them some kind of housing or shelter. Often it is very, very short term. There really are not a lot of safe houses across the country. The counselling that follows is very much crisis counselling. It deals with their immediate needs, how to cope with the fact they have left the situation, and looks at the enormity of what they were forced to deal with." Baker-Reed said long-term healing work begins once the victims are more stable. Many elements to the brokenness MacLeod said once a woman has fallen into the human trafficking trap it is very difficult for her to get out. One problem MacLeod noted is the lack of transitional housing. "They would need to be housed for up to a year just to learn the social skills and other skills needed to get back into society. You can't come out of this business and just think you are going to get a regular job. It doesn't happen. There are so many elements to the brokenness," said MacLeod. "Right now, the only place we have to put these girls are shelters and that is a horrible fit for them. Shelter staff are not trained to deal with these girls. A lot of times there are working girls in the shelters and they are trying to recruit other women or you have pimps who are lurking around outside waiting to grab these vulnerable girls again." MacLeod also said the new laws that allow police to go after the Johns need to be enforced, stating she does not believe it is currently the case. "There are John schools offered to men who are caught and that is supposed to deter them because they are hearing stories from survivors. This does work for men who believe what they were doing involved two consenting adults," she said. "The problem is that until we go after these men and actually make some kind of criminal charge where they are going to have a criminal record that is available for their families to know about, this isn't going to stop." 15 | Thursday, June 18, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com 146 Lakeshore Rd.W. · 905.338.6333 Monday to Sunday : From 7:00 am to 3:00 pm PRICE OF ONE! LIMITED TIME OFFER Two Can Live for the Second Person FREE! Book Your Tour Today By Calling: 905-582-0395 3136 DUNDAS STREET WEST, OAKVILLE, ON (WEST OF BRONTE ROAD) AND ITY! AVAILABIL ply *conditions ap www.palermovillageretirement.ca