Cathy Peters gave a presentation on human trafficking to Grand Forks council on May 9.
It was an informative look at human trafficking, and what can be done to prevent it and help trafficking victims.
Young women and girls are the primary sufferers.
“Thirteen years old is the average age of recruitment, much younger for Indigenous girls,” Peters said. “In the Lower Mainland, the target age is now ten to 12-year-old girls.”
Peters indicated the problem is only getting worse, and the global sex trade is growing. Contributing factors are globalization, unregulated technology, limited law enforcement and a lack of prevention education.
She highlighted social media as an accelerator of the trade.
“I don’t even call it social media anymore. I call it ‘sexual media.’”
Councillor Christine Thompson said sex trafficking is a local issue.
“You don’t like to think that the sex trade is in a small community like Grand Forks, but I do know for a fact that it is.”
Peter’s goal is to spread awareness about sex trafficking throughout B.C.
“I’ve been raising awareness about sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking to every city council, MLA, MP, and police agency in B.C. since the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act became federal law in 2014.”
National Human Trafficking Crisis Hotline Number: 1-866-528-7109
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@audreyygunn
editor@grandforksgazette.ca
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