While the crime of trafficking in persons was only added to the Canadian Criminal Code in 2005, it remains a serious problem in Canada, and in 2020, the Federal Government proclaimed Feb. 22 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada
Trafficking takes the form of forced marriage, indentured servitude, labour exploitation and sexual exploitation, and many people lack information about how it happens, failing to believe that it can happen to themselves or someone they know. The reality is that it’s happening in communities all over the country.
That’s why these three Canadian organizations launched campaigns for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, hoping to spread awareness and empower more people to help prevent trafficking in Canada.
“Education is our most important tool to prevent human trafficking in our communities,” said CEO and president of the Joy Smith Foundation, Canada’s leading authority on the prevention and intervention of human trafficking, Janet Campbell, in a release. “Every day, Canadian youth are manipulated and forced into the sex trade, with many unaware this is happening in their own backyard.”
Covenant House Toronto with Taxi and Argyle PR
With the help of Taxi for creative and Argyle for PR, the “Let’s Talk About Sex Trafficking” campaign includes two long-form animated videos, voiced by a victim of sex trafficking sharing their story, and a designated microsite tailored to teenagers.
Leger conducted research on behalf of Covenant House Toronto which revealed that 84% of Canadians surveyed believe that youth in their communities are at some level of risk of being lured into sex trafficking through a relationship, social media or online platforms. At the same time, 47% are not confident that they could recognize the warning signs of someone being lured into sex trafficking.
The microsite is designed for teenagers to navigate themselves, including warning signs, fact and misconceptions, information about healthy relationships, and safety tips. Additional resources on the main Covenant House Toronto site include a prevention guide for caregivers, as well as discussion points for parents to initiate a conversation about sex trafficking with their child. Traffick Stop, Covenant House Toronto’s anti-trafficking resource hub also includes information and tools for caregivers, service providers, educators, and the hospitality industry
“We know from our research that many parents and caregivers are not talking to their children about this issue because they feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to begin,” said Covenant House Toronto’s chief communications officer Josie do Rego. “Research shows only about a third of teens claim their parents are very aware of their social media activity. We created Let’s Talk About Sex Trafficking to get Canadians to learn more about sex trafficking and to provide parents and caregivers with resources to help educate themselves and their children.”
Joy Smith Foundation with Diamond Marketing
The Joy Smith Foundation, an organization dedicated to human trafficking prevention, intervention and support, launched the second iteration of its “Trafficking Signs” campaign, developed with agency partner Diamond.
After attracting more than 10,000 Canadians to the campaign site in 2023, the campaign repurposes the original content with the addition of a PSA video, updated website, social content, earned influencer and PR support. The Joy Smith Foundation aims to ensure parents and teens know how to spot the signs of trafficking before it’s too late, by tailoring the information towards kids learning how to drive.
Diamond partnered with a real driving school to create a PSA style ad, featuring students who expected to receive a lesson about road traffic signs, but instead hear from a human trafficking survivor who shared the story of how she became a trafficking victim. The “trafficking signs” featured in the video resemble a yield sign commonly seen on the road, but identify signs of human trafficking that can be observed in youth, like a “change in attitude towards school, regular activities, friends,” “sudden interest in a man several years older,” and “new circle of friends and isolation from their friend group.”
Supporting educational material is delivered in the format of a Trafficking Signs Handbook– available for download at traffickingsigns.ca, and reminiscent of the well known Driver’s Handbook. These resources are being shared nationwide with driving schools across the country.
“Obtaining a driver’s license is a milestone for many teens in which they pay close attention to information and the signs to look for,” said Diamond’s chief creative officer, Peter Ignazi. “They study the rules, know the traffic signs, and what the watchouts are that every driver should know. Through our research, we felt this critical moment to intercept and have real teens learn about the very real risks.”
For further reach, The Joy Smith Foundation also partnered with global shipping and logistics company, UPS, to provide human trafficking awareness and education to UPS employees.
The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking with Strategic Objectives PR
“It’s Time to T.A.L.K” is a new resource campaign from The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, a national charity dedicated to ending all types of human trafficking in Canada, with PR support from Strategic Objectives.
The educational material is delivered in the format of a downloadable PDF, based on insights from new research which revealed that 74% of Canadians believe that sex trafficking is prevalent in Canada while more than 70% have never had a conversation with a friend or family member about protecting themselves against sex trafficking. In fact, only 15% of Canadians feel confident in their knowledge about the issue to start a conversation.
The PDF was created in consultation with survivors of sex trafficking and is tailored towards concerned family and friends because they make up the second largest group of people reaching out to the The Canadian Human Trafficking hotline, and often have no idea what to say or do about the person they are concerned is being exploited.
“It’s Time to T.A.L.K.” is actually an acronym with a message:
•Teach yourself about the issue
•Approach the conversation with care
•Listen and adapt, and
•Know there is help”
The guidelines are intended to help facilitate crucial conversations around sex trafficking, especially with young people. The information includes an understanding of how traffickers exploit vulnerabilities to groom victims, education around healthy relationships, and empowering statements to help young people set boundaries and understand consent.
“Sex trafficking is a complex and serious social issue that is not going away on its own,” says The Centre’s executive director Julia Drydyk, in a release. “We understand the topic may seem overwhelming, but the reality is that we all need to start talking about it if we ever hope to end sex trafficking in Canada. That’s where we believe this resource can make a tangible difference.”
