Human trafficking awareness event addresses importance of offering support to those affected

Melanie Knights, director of Bridging Gaps Anti-Human Trafficking, speaks about her own experience with being trafficked, what to look out for, and how to help someone being trafficked during the Human Trafficking Awareness event on May 15. The event was run by Victim Services Huron Perth.

On May 15, the upper level of the Burnside Agriplex was filled with people learning more about human trafficking prevention and awareness, as well as other information about protection from luring, bullying, and other issues.

Victim Services Huron Perth held a human trafficking awareness event that evening. The event began with Jenn Evans, operations manager of Victim Services Huron Perth, sharing information about luring prevention that she also shares with the Grade Four to Grade Eight students she speaks to when visiting the schools.

Although anyone at any age can experience human trafficking, most cases impact those under the age of 25-years-old, with the prime age being between 12 to 14 years old. Most of the cases also involve young girls. In either case, any vulnerabilities such as age, low self-esteem, isolation, substance misuse, online gaming obsession, being bullied, and/or having divorced parents are taken advantage of.

"We are all vulnerable in one way or another, as adults or as youth,” Evans said. “When I talk about vulnerabilities with youth though, right off the hop, they're under the age of 18 which means they are dependent upon a parent or a caregiver to give them a roof over their head, food in their bellies, health, safety, all the things. They are dependent which automatically make them vulnerable."

She said with the digital age through online gaming and social media, it is important to check privacy settings and be aware of ways information is accessed.

"The main buzz right now is online safety. It's become such a terrible thing because when we were younger, for those of us, we were taught that 'stranger danger' was that van with the creepy person and 'come see my cat or my dog and here’s some candy,’” Evans said. “Stranger danger looks a lot different now."

Melanie Knights, director of Bridging Gaps Anti-Human Trafficking, spoke about her own experience surviving human trafficking. She chronically ran away from home as a child and lived without housing starting at 12-years-old, then using substances and getting involved with gangs and then eventually became trafficked at 15-years-old.

"I was shown how to work the streets by another girl for survival,” Knights said.

Towards the end of her speech, Knights announced she celebrated 25 years since she left being trafficked as of April 20, which was met with applause.

"I never ever thought any of my life experiences would be worth anything to anyone. I certainly didn't think that 15 years ago – (that) I would be asked to take on a position as the first anti-trafficking case manager in Ontario. All of a sudden, my whole entire life made sense,” Knights said. “Kids need to see success stories. They need to see things … they need to see that there is a way out and that you can be successful and you are not what has happened to you." 

Knights said that to help those who are trafficked get out of the situation, make sure the person can trust you as their person to confide in and seek help. She said that when someone gives her a second call beyond the initial meeting, she considers it a step forward.

“If you've got a youth that has said something to you or is looking to disclose something, you have become their trusted person,” she said. “You have become their lifeline as well. Even though they have disclosed something to you, it's terrible – there are things you should be reporting to police, absolutely – but you will become their trusted person because they don’t want to tell this story over and over again.”

Earlier that day, Victim Services Huron Perth held a human trafficking awareness and prevention seminar for regional stakeholders.

More information about human trafficking awareness and prevention, as well as ending hate, can be found by visiting https://victimserviceshuronperth.ca.