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Sudbury anti-human trafficking group gets money to help survivors and their families

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Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking is a Sudbury-based group that helps survivors and their loved ones.

It recently received $250,000 in government funding from the federal and provincial government to expand its services and supports.

"Laurie Scott MPP has said that Sudbury is a hub for human trafficking and, statically, our numbers of human trafficking cases are only going up," said Cristina Scarpellini, the group's founder. "So there is a need for that education component of things, as well as you know the counselling for substance abuse issues, mental health trauma and that empowerment piece of the survivor-led support groups."

Money from the federal government is funding the hiring of an Indigenous social worker.

"At this point in time, our statistics are 51 per cent of women who are Indigenous identified in these drop-in workshops, including the survivor-led virtual groups that we are holding, 51 per cent Indigenous identified ranging from ages 28-36 at this time and they are all at different stage and levels of healing," said Lynzy Lalande, a program director and public educator with the anti-human trafficking group.

Provincial funding will support educational and prevention initiatives.

"We are going to go and have discussions with youth about problematic substance abuse, mental health, and how it plays a factor into human trafficking. As well as provide workshops for service providers that work with the youth population," Scarpellini said.

The group said education is key.

"All traffickers are of all genders, we do have girls that are trafficking other girls, and so it's really having that discussion on giving that awareness to the youth," Lalande said.

Since starting in 2015, Angels of Hope Against Human Trafficking has helped 275 survivors and their loved ones from across Ontario.

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