鈥淓very single day in Sarnia sex trafficking occurs,鈥� says the Coordinator for the local Anti-Human Trafficking Project The recent conviction in Sarnia of a man on nine charges relating to the exploitation of two women through sex trafficking 鈥� including a minor 鈥� comes as no surprise to Chantel Butterfield. To Butterfield鈥檚 knowledge, the recent case in Point Edward marks the first time a sex trafficking charge has been successfully prosecuted in Lambton County. Charges were laid in an unrelated case by Sarnia Police, two years ago, but were eventually dropped. The minimum sentence for human trafficking is four years. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a high demand for sex trade work here,鈥� says Butterfield. 鈥淭his is a blue collar, border city. There are a lot of out-of-town workers and a lot of travellers coming through.鈥� The laws surrounding sex trade work and human trafficking in Canada are contradictory.聽
It鈥檚 perfectly legal for a woman or man over the age of 18 to sell his or her body, Butterfield says, but it鈥檚 illegal to purchase services from a sex trade worker, or to exploit a worker for money. It鈥檚 especially serious if the exploitation concerns a minor. But it doesn鈥檛 stop a plethora of online websites offering workers and their wares in every city in Ontario. Recent Statistics Canada data on the multi-billion dollar sex trafficking industry report 90 percent of trafficked workers are women between 18-24. Butterfield says some sex trade workers operate independently, but most are led by others. It鈥檚 all about the connection, she adds. 鈥淢ost sex trafficking is very relationship-based,鈥� she says, adding traffickers (pimps) offer their victims 鈥渓ove, attention, affection and protection. 鈥淢any women who become sex workers think they are helping their boyfriends,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hese women can easily make $1,000 a day.鈥� Butterfield says the sensationalized stereotypes surrounding sex and human trafficking need to change. The issue is often viewed like the storyline of the movie 鈥楾aken鈥� where young immigrant women are abducted, injected with drugs and held against their will. Other images include smuggling people in airtight containers across international borders. 鈥淭hat does happen.鈥� Eighty percent of all human trafficking is domestic. 鈥淭hese are people who were born here,鈥� Butterfield explains, adding women are groomed by their exploiters to 鈥渇all in love with an ideal partner. 鈥淭hose who prey on these young people look for holes they can fill in the that person鈥檚 life,鈥� Butterfield says. The needs can range from drug addiction to homelessness to simply needing to feel wanted and loved. Their pimp introduces the young person, who can be male, female or transgender, to the sex work, and the work becomes normalized over time. 鈥淥ften they don鈥檛 even realize they鈥檝e been trafficked,鈥� Butterfield notes. 鈥淓ven though they believe they鈥檝e had a choice, they鈥檝e been coerced.鈥� Because of the underground nature of the work and the shame often associated with it, police intervention is difficult and not the norm,鈥� Butterfield says. One way to help is by educating consumers, Butterfield says. Those purchasing services from sex trade workers need to know the signs of a trafficked worker and report it. The Anti-Human Trafficking Project operates out of the Sexual Assault Survivors Centre in Sarnia and offers help to all sex trade workers. It can be reached toll free at 1-888-231-0536. The federal government also has a Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline that can be reached at 1-833-900-1010.
The Independent of Petrolia and Central Lambton
Pam Wright, Local Journalism Initiative, The Independent
