A new online human trafficking awareness campaign has been launched to help young girls and their parents identify the risks and warning signs.
London police went live with the campaign using the hashtag #KnowHumanTrafficking on Tuesday. The unveiling coincided with National Human Trafficking Awareness Day which is held each year on February 22.
Human trafficking is when a person recruits, transports or holds another individual in order to exploit them, generally for sexual purposes, using force, fraud or coercion. According to police approximately 25 per cent of all human trafficking cases involve girls under the age of 18.
“We know that young girls between the ages of 11-14 are most vulnerable in relation to human trafficking. There are things that parents can watch for, and that kids themselves might not realize are warning signs,” Detective Sergeant Katherine Dann, head of the London police sexual assault and child abuse section, said in a statement. “We created this campaign to educate and empower young girls, and to help raise awareness in the community.”
LONDON, ON- In recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on February 22, 2022, the London Police Service (LPS) is launching a campaign, using the hashtag #KnowHumanTrafficking to help raise awareness in #LdnOnt. Read the full release here: https://t.co/UJVTEgMbXr pic.twitter.com/JEEy7m09yH
— London Police Service ON (@lpsmediaoffice) February 22, 2022
The campaign includes a roughly 2 minute video that features young women talking about ways to spot whether a family member or friend is being groomed by a human trafficker and how to get help. The video has been shared through the police website and all of its social media platforms. It includes the phone number for the Canadian Human Trafficking hotline (1-833-900-1010). The confidential 24-hour phone service connects people who are being human trafficked or who believe a loved one is being human trafficked with supports.
“The London Police Service Human Trafficking Unit is committed to supporting survivors of human trafficking and bringing the criminals involved to justice. What is equally important is our commitment to educating people so that we can prevent this crime from happening in the first place,” said Dann.
The London International Airport joined other airports across the country in launching their own human trafficking awareness campaign.
#NotInMyCity is providing human trafficking awareness materials and customized e-learning courses to help airport staff identify the risk factors of those being trafficked and moved through airports in Canada.
Data from the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking shows transportation corridors are frequently used by traffickers, and once a victim has been recruited, traffickers will often move them from city to city to maximize profits, access new markets, and avoid competition.
“It is sadly not uncommon for airports to be used as transportation hubs for human traffickers, making it all the more important for airport staff and passengers to be aware of signs of human trafficking and also how to safely report a suspected case” said Scott McFadzean, President and CEO of the London International Airport. “We are proud to support and partner with #NotInMyCity as they do invaluable work to disrupt and end human trafficking in Canada.”
Other airports participating in the initiative include Toronto Pearson International Airport, the Edmonton International Airport, and the Kelowna International Airport.
