Ontario urged to fund anti-human trafficking task force, fight sexual violence

A new report says Ontario has become a "major hub"for human trafficking and sexual violence in Canada, with most ofthe victims being local underage girls and young women.

The report by a provincial legislative committee is calling onthe Liberal government to increase funding for the justice systemand create a co-ordinated, province-wide strategy.

• Ottawa man faces 76 charges in alleged human trafficking ring at massage parlours
• Girl, 13, lured on Facebook, forced into sex trade, Toronto police say
• Sudbury woman, 19, rescued from sex trade

"These young women, girls really, underaged girls and children,are being forced into sex work in our cities and towns, and theyreally are the girls next door," said Laurie Scott, Progressive Conservative MPP ofHaliburton-KawarthaLakes-Brock.

The government should provide the same sort of dedicated fundingfor an anti-trafficking task force as it did for Toronto's "Guns andGangs"initiative, Scott said.

The committee, which issued its report on the final day of thefall session Thursday, said human trafficking for the purpose ofsexual exploitation is the most common form of trafficking inCanada, and Ontario is acting as a "major"hub.

"We need to send resources to law enforcement and to the justicesystem so there is a concentrated team that works throughout theprovince, because these girls are trafficked widely throughout theprovince on a daily basis," said Scott.

The committee travelled across Ontario hearing stories from 147women who were victims of rape or sexual harassment.

'Difficult to control our emotions'

Committeemembers, including two former nurses and another who worked in arape crisis centre, said despite their experience, they were often inshock listening to women tell "gut wrenching" stories of sexualassaults.

I don't think any of us were prepared for what we heard.- NDP MPP Peggy Sattler

"I don't think any of us were prepared for what we heard," said PeggySattler,London West NDP MPP.

"It was very difficult to controlour own emotions as we watched survivors struggling to hold backtears as they relived the pain and trauma of what they wentthrough."

Tracy MacCharles, the minister of children and youth services whois responsible for a sexual violence and harassment bill that is nowbefore the legislature, said the committee's recommendations,including the call for a task force, willhelp strengthen her bill.

"I'm open to all good ideas on this," said MacCharles. "I'llbe sitting down with the premier on this."

Government's decision

LiberalDaiene Vernile, the MPPfor KitchenerCentrewho chaired the committee, said it's upto the government to decide how to proceed, but she wants to makesure the recommendations are implemented.

"For many witnesses, it was very difficult for them to appearbefore this committee, and reliving the trauma of being violated,"she said. "But they did so hoping that there would be some kind ofpositive outcome, and we don't want to let them down."

The committee found almost 60 per cent of sexual assault victimsin Canada are under the age of 18, and a quarter ofthem are underthe age of 12.

Most victims 92 per cent are women, and theoverwhelming majority of attackers 99 per cent were men.

It also found Ontario lacks up-to-date statistics about theincidence of sexual harassment and childhood sexualabuses, anddoesn't have a standardized system to track cases of humantrafficking.