Liberate Canada - Human Trafficking

Types of Human Trafficking In Canada

Sex Trafficking — 70%

Victims are coerced, manipulated, or forced into prostitution or sexual exploitation.

• 70% of police-reported human trafficking incidents involve sexual exploitation. (Source: Statistics Canada, Police-reported human trafficking in Canada, 2023) https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2025001/article/00008-eng.htm

Labour Trafficking — 20–22%

Victims are forced to work under exploitative conditions.

Common sectors include:

• Agriculture

• Construction

• Hospitality

• Domestic work

• Manufacturing

About 1 in 5 police-reported trafficking cases involve labour exploitation. (Source: Statistics Canada, Police-reported human trafficking in Canada) https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2025001/article/00008-eng.htm

Mixed Sex & Labour Trafficking — 4%

Victims are exploited for both labour & sexual services in the same trafficking situation.

• Approximately 4% of trafficking cases involve both labour and sexual exploitation. (Source: Statistics Canada Juristat Report on Human Trafficking)

Other Forms — 1–2%

Rare cases include:

• Forced begging

• Forced criminal activity

• Other exploitation schemes

These forms represent a very small percentage of identified trafficking cases in Canada. (Source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking – National Trends Report) https://www.canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca

Victim Demographics

Gender: 93% of police-reported human trafficking victims are females. (Source: Statistics Canada, Juristat: Human Trafficking in Canada) https://www150.statcan.gc.ca

Age: 41% of victims are aged 18–24.

(Source: Statistics Canada)

• 22–24% of victims are minors (under 18).

(Source: Statistics Canada; Public Safety Canada) https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/human-trafficking.html

Relationship to Trafficker: In the majority of cases, victims know their trafficker (often an intimate partner or acquaintance). (Source: Statistics Canada Human Trafficking Report)

Key National Numbers

• 3,558 police-reported human trafficking victims in Canada (2013–2023). (Source: Statistics Canada)

• 4,075 detected victims in Canada (2014–2024). (Source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking National Hotline data)

• Approximately 1 in 4 trafficking victims in Canada is a minor.

(Source: Statistics Canada)

Conclusion

Human trafficking in Canada is overwhelmingly sexual exploitation, with women and girls representing the vast majority of victims. Roughly one quarter of victims are minors, and traffickers are frequently known to the victim, which highlights the importance of prevention, victim protection, & stronger enforcement against traffickers.

Online Child Exploitation

• 29,505 total online child sexual exploitation reports

• 349 reports categorized as child trafficking

• 22,950 reports of child sexual abuse material

• 2,717 reports of online child luring

Source: Cybertip.ca 2024 report breakdown

Bottom Line

• Roughly 1 in 4 trafficking victims in Canada are children.

Source: Statistics Canada trafficking reports

• The vast majority of victims are female (≈93%).

Source: Statistics Canada / Public Safety Canada

• Online exploitation reports involving children number in the tens of thousands annually (but most are not trafficking cases).

How You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is not just a government issue — ordinary citizens, families, businesses, and communities play a critical role in prevention, detection, and victim support.

Awareness, reporting, and supporting organizations working to protect children can help disrupt trafficking networks and protect vulnerable people.

1. Learn the Warning Signs

Recognizing trafficking situations can save lives.

Common indicators include:

• A person being closely controlled by someone else

• Someone unable to speak freely or fearful around a companion

• Signs of physical abuse or intimidation

• A young person with a much older controlling partner

• Individuals living and working in the same place under supervision

• Multiple men visiting a hotel room frequently

(Source: Public Safety Canada – Human Trafficking Indicators)

2. Report Suspected Trafficking

If something seems suspicious, report it. You do not need proof.

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline 1-833-900-1010

🌐 https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca

The hotline operates 24/7 and connects victims with support services.

(Source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking)

3. Protect Children and Teens Online

Many victims are recruited through online grooming and manipulation.

Parents and communities can help by:

• Teaching youth about online exploitation tactics

• Monitoring suspicious online relationships with older individuals

• Encouraging open conversations about online safety

(Source: Cybertip.ca – Online Child Exploitation Prevention)

4. Support Survivor Organizations

Trafficking victims often need long-term recovery support.

Communities can help by supporting organizations that provide:

• Safe housing

• Trauma counselling

• Legal assistance

• Employment and education support

Strong recovery programs help ensure survivors do not return to exploitation.

(Source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking)

5. Raise Awareness in Your Community

Educated communities make it much harder for traffickers to operate unnoticed.

Ways to raise awareness:

• Share verified information about trafficking

• Host discussions in schools, churches, and community groups

• Encourage local businesses to learn trafficking indicators

• Post hotline numbers in public spaces

6. Support Grassroots Initiatives Protecting Children

Grassroots groups and creators are also helping raise awareness and educate families.

For example:

• Moms Resist is a grassroots movement that mobilizes mothers and families to defend and protect children’s safety and wellbeing through advocacy, events, and public education.

https://momsresist.ca

• Educational initiatives like “Scotty the Kid” from King Sky Press provide child-focused storytelling and resources that help families talk about protecting children and recognizing dangers. https://www.kingskypress.com

These initiatives help empower parents, educate children, and strengthen community awareness.

Conclusion

Human trafficking in Canada continues to affect thousands of victims, many of them young females. Stopping it requires more than protests.

It requires:

• Awareness

• Community vigilance

• Reporting suspicious activity

• Supporting survivors

• Educating families and children

When communities stay informed and engaged, traffickers have fewer places to hide.

Film Recommendation: Sound of Freedom

If you want to better understand the reality of child trafficking, I strongly recommend watching Sound of Freedom.

The film tells the story of Tim Ballard, a former government agent who left his job to rescue children from international trafficking networks. Inspired by real events, the movie highlights the global crisis of child exploitation and the people working to stop it.

It’s a powerful film that brings awareness to an issue many people don’t realize is happening — including in North America.

You can watch it through Angel Studios, which released the film and continues to promote awareness around child trafficking.

Visit https://www.angel.com/watch/sound-of-freedom/episode/6e5bae7e-c0b5-4003-b3d4-871ca410d8f4 to watch it.