Provincial support for human trafficking awareness campaign – Winnipeg Free Press

A campaign to raise awareness of human trafficking will receive funding from the Manitoba government.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen said the province will provide $100,000 to the Joy Smith Foundation for its “See the Trafficking Signs” education and awareness initiative. The financial support was announced at the Manitoba legislature on International Women's Day.

“Human trafficking is a growing crisis in communities across Manitoba, particularly putting young girls and women at risk,” Goertzen said Wednesday.

Joy Smith, founder of the Joy Smith Foundation and former MLA, said the awareness campaign is needed.

“It can happen in any community and we have to speak about it in any community. It's not something that knows borders. It's not something that knows ethnicity. It can impact everyone.”

The foundation's campaign is intended to prevent young people from being lured into the sex trade and was launched in February to coincide with National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

The national advertising campaign raises awareness of key sex trafficking signs, including: changes in attitude towards school, friends and regular activities; slipping grades; unexplained injuries; multiple cellphones; sudden changes to social groups, clothing and makeup; and new jewelry or gifts despite not having an income.

Foundation founder and former MLA Joy Smith said the awareness campaign is needed so family, friends and loved ones can prevent exploitation, noting human trafficking occurs in all neighbourhoods, including within a kilometre of the Manitoba Legislative Building.

“We all have to look at what is happening around us so no other child ever undergoes the horrific experience of being trafficked,” Smith said.

Families Minister Rochelle Squires said the Progressive Conservative government has advanced legislation to address human trafficking, including a bill to facilitate disclosure of information related to intimate partner violence (also known as Clare's Law) and a bill to require hotels and other accommodation providers to record information and contact police when sex trafficking is suspected.

“It would be a parent's worst nightmare to find out that their child, their loved one is being preyed upon by human traffickers, and yet it happens,” Squires said. “It takes all hands on deck to end the scourge of human trafficking.”

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