Human trafficking detection to be focus of Brandon presentation

A Manitoba-based organization supporting survivors of human trafficking is hosting a presentation next week in Brandon to educate people about what signs to watch out for.

The presentation by the Joy Smith Foundation — Canada’s leading authority on human trafficking prevention and intervention — will take place at Trinity United Church on Sixth Street on Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m.

“People need to understand how it happens in their community. And oftentimes, especially in the Westman area, it’s youth that become very vulnerable,” Janet Campbell, the foundation’s president and CEO, said Tuesday.

Youth can be targeted through in-person and online relationships in which they form a connection with a perpetrator and are showered with affection, attention, expensive gifts and experiences, Campbell said.

Then they can be easily manipulated and coerced, she said, adding that in most cases she has seen, victimization starts around ages 12 and 13.

In the past few years, there has been a growing number of cases stemming from online interactions or involving the use of artificial intelligence, she said.

“A lot of predators have unprecedented access and reach to children in online spaces, and that can be social media, it could be gaming environments.”

In some scenarios, artificial intelligence has been used to fool people into thinking they’re talking to someone else, such as manipulating a person’s voice during a phone or video conversation.

“Artificial intelligence can also put children in a position where somebody creates content that they use to blackmail that particular child. We see this in sextortion cases — in cases that can escalate into human trafficking scenarios,” Campbell said.

Sex trafficking and forced labour happen within every community in Manitoba, and Westman is no exception, she said.

The Brandon Police Service was unable to provide statistics on the number of local human trafficking cases on Tuesday, but confirmed it addresses incidents on a regular basis.

“Online recruitment and exploitation have become increasingly prominent over the past five years,” Const. Selena Samagalski said in a statement.

She said Brandon police continue to investigate street-level and online sexual exploitation through Project Blockade — a collaborative initiative with the RCMP and Winnipeg police.

Most recently, in June, 23 men were arrested for obtaining sexual services over a two-day investigation targeting sexual exploitation in Brandon. The men were arrested in multiple places, including hotels and in the downtown area, Samagalski said.

“The continued demand for commercial sex contributes to the conditions in which exploitation and trafficking can occur, including the ongoing recruitment of vulnerable individuals into the sex trade,” she said.

The project is meant to hold persons obtaining these services accountable and reduce demand so there is less incentive for those who profit from human trafficking, Samagalski said.

“The ongoing issue of sexual exploitation in Brandon highlights the importance of proactive law enforcement, prevention and community awareness,” she said.

While Campbell estimates there are nearly 70,000 victims of human trafficking at any point each year in Canada, the numbers don’t represent the prevalence of the issue, as many people don’t report it due to stigma or other concerns.

Campbell said it’s important for people to know the signs of human trafficking so they can take steps to prevent it from happening.

“The biggest defence that we all have is when community members and those loved ones connected to somebody who may be vulnerable, you know, are able to recognize what’s going on,” she said.

Signs someone may be involved in the sex trade include a sudden interest in someone much older than them, new clothing or jewelry despite having no money, a change in attitude toward school, unexplained cuts and bruises and a use of two cellphones, the organization’s website says.

If someone is experiencing forced labour, they may have a job offer that is too good to be true, have an employer make threats of deportation, feel they could be in danger if they don’t work long hours or accept a lower wage, or work in inhumane conditions.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com