As part of the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, officials raise awareness about human sex-trafficking
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence kicked off on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.
Officials said women who are victims of human sex trafficking may face fatal consequences if they attempt to escape which is an assault on the fundamental human rights of victims.
The Timmins and Area Women in Crisis Centre helps women who are victims of human sex trafficking, which it said is nothing new in Timmins, but said it's helping more women who are being trafficked than usual.
“It is much more pervasive and clearly looks almost very obvious at times and it’s really difficult because it’s scary. Women trying to leave a situation of trafficking is really difficult," said Julie Nobert-DeMarchi, executive director of the Timmins and Area Women in Crisis Centre.
Since May 2019, Timmins Police have only laid human sex trafficking charges against two men.
“The Justice system is really difficult to maneuver when it comes to dealing with traffickers so it’s really difficult to arrest and to get the information and to make to make those arrests and to charge them with trafficking charges," said Nobert-DeMarchi.
She said it is not easy for a woman or girl who's being sex trafficked to say she's done and leave the situation. She said what happens more around the Timmins area is that women are paying off their drug and shelter debts with sex and/or being used to smuggle drugs.
Timmins Police officials said often, women who are being sex trafficked done't even realize that what's happening to them is inappropriate and illegal.
“Human trafficking under the 'romeo-pimp' premise ... they don’t even realize that they’re being victimized. They feel as though my boyfriend is entitled to have me serve as an escort in various sets of circumstances.”
Nobert-DeMarchi said what is good is that the community is better educated on the issue and are more aware of the signs. Police said the average age of a victim of sex trafficking in Canada is fourteen years old.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.