Alarming human trafficking stats in Timmins, signs evolving
There is a reason why people in Timmins may be seeing posters that alert them to human trafficking in the community.
Whether in an airport, bus terminal or hotel, Timmins and District Victim Services is doing what it can to raise awareness about the issue.
“Two new brand new billboards, hopefully within the next 30 days, (will be) up on both of our outskirts," said Melissa Turcotte, executive director of Timmins and District Victim Services.
"One of them will be the alarming stat of that it’s happening within 10 kilometres of this sign just to sort of give people that aha moment of you think it’s not happening here it absolutely is.”
A Timmins police officer is also trained to deliver presentations on the topic.
“Public awareness is a key factor in acting as a deterrent towards this type of criminal activity," said Marc Depatie, communications coordinator for the Timmins Police Service.
"The better informed our community is, the better it is that won’t stand to be a victim of this type of criminal activities.”
While police said no human trafficking investigations have taken place in the past six months, Timmins and District Victim Services said it has helped 24 victims in that same time period.
"A victim has to file a formal complaint with the Timmins Police Service in order for an investigation to take place," said Depatie.
Turcotte said it can take months to build a rapport with someone. She said some who've hit rock bottom or who are looking to exit the life may come through her doors numerous times before saying anything.
Signs that someone is being forced into labour or who is sexually exploited constantly evolve.
“Someone who might have things that they could not afford on their own, that might be someone who has been branded is something that we’ve seen in the sex world a little bit more frequently lately," said Turcotte.
"More recently we’ve seen like the shaved head, so that’s like a debt that they’ve owed particularly in the drug world.”
Timmins and District Victim Services said the average recruitment age of a victim is 17 years old and all victims know their traffickers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6964614.1721073452!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Who is JD Vance? Things to know about Donald Trump's pick for vice-president
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio to be his running mate as he looks to return to the White House.
'Somebody who knows Canada well': Ambassador says of Trump running mate JD Vance
Canada's ambassador to the United States says Sen. JD Vance, the recently announced pick for former U.S. president and Republican nominee Donald Trump's running mate, 'knows Canada well.'
Trucker who caused Broncos crash applies to have permanent resident status returned
The truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash has applied to have his permanent resident status returned.
Sask. TikTok star Bella Brave dies after latest hospitalization
Sask. TikTok star "Be Brave" Bella Thomson has died. She was 10-years-old.
Days are getting longer because of climate change, according to NASA
Rising sea levels are making each day slightly longer, and there's no sign it's going to stop, a new study funded in part by NASA and the Canadian government has found.
NFL Hall of Famer says he was unjustly handcuffed and 'humiliated' on a flight
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said Monday he was 'humiliated' after being handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight, then later apologized to by law enforcement, over the weekend.
Manitoba man who rammed gates of Rideau Hall granted statutory release
A Manitoba man who armed himself and rammed the gates of Rideau Hall with a truck in 2020 to confront Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been granted statutory release.
'Balaclava rapist' Larry Takahashi gets full parole more than 40 years after attacks
A serial sex offender known as the "balaclava rapist" for attacking 23 women in Edmonton more than 40 years ago has been granted full parole while he continues to serve three concurrent life sentences.
Biden says it was a 'mistake' to say he wanted to put a 'bull's-eye' on Trump
U.S. President Joe Biden told NBC News in an interview Monday that it was a 'mistake' to say he wanted to put a 'bull's-eye' on Republican nominee Donald Trump, but argued that the rhetoric from his opponent was more incendiary while warning that Trump remained a threat to democratic institutions.