What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is modern day slavery. Human beings are brought and sold for a number of different purposes: sexual exploitation, forced or bonded labour, forced marriage, and organ removal. Victims are also used to smuggle drugs and guns across borders and are coerced into stealing various items.
The common element in human trafficking is exploitation. Victims are being exploited for money or some material benefit.
Individuals may be trafficked across international borders, as well as, within the borders of Canada. Traffickers use threats, physical force, and coercion to gain control over their victims.
Human trafficking is always involuntary. This is because even when consent is achieved, it is through some form of fraud, deception, abduction, kidnapping, or abuse of power/vulnerability.

Click here for more information on sexual exploitation
Click here for more information on forced or bonded labour
Click here for more information on forced marriage

Human Trafficking is a Crime With Three Elements:

The Act

This is what is being done. For example, recruitment, transfer, transportation, harboring, or receipt of persons.

The Means

This is how the act is being done. For example, use of force, threatening, coercion, fraud, deception, abuse of power, or the giving or receiving of payments used to control a person.

The Purpose

This is why it is done. For example, to exploit a person through sexual exploitation, forced labour, debt bondage, or removal of organs from a person.

People may be trafficked Internationally or Domestically

Domestic Trafficking

Within our own borders
Canadian citizens
Permanent residents
Usually involves sex trafficking

International Trafficking

Another source country
Brought to Canada legally or illegally
Exploitation
Labour & sex trafficking or both