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Human Trafficking

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Human trafficking is a serious crime, and no one deserves to experience it. This page offers clear information about human trafficking, options for reporting, and local and virtual resources for support.

Recognizing Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the equivalent of modern-day slavery and is a serious criminal offence under the Criminal Code of Canada.

It involves recruiting, harbouring, or controlling a person’s movements through force, physical or psychological coercion, deception, or abuse of power.

Traffickers exploit individuals for profit, often forcing them to perform labour (such as domestic, physical, or manual work) or sexual acts.

Traffickers use a range of coercive tactics, including emotional manipulation, money, drugs, threats, and physical violence, to control victims. As a result, victims often experience fear, violence, degradation, and isolation, making it extremely difficult to escape.

Human trafficking is a hidden crime. Language barriers, fear of traffickers, and fear of law enforcement frequently prevent victims from seeking help. In Ontario, many police-reported cases involve vulnerable girls and women, with Indigenous women and girls being especially at risk of being targeted by traffickers.

Human trafficking is not:

  • Human smuggling, which involves moving someone across a border
  • Consensual, paid sex work by individuals 18 years of age or older

Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes worldwide and can occur in any community, often hidden in plain sight.

Since 2005, Human Trafficking has been a crime under Canada's Criminal Code.

Human Trafficking (Section 279.01) of the Criminal Code is defined as follows:

Every person who recruits, transports, transfers, receives, holds, conceals or harbours a person, or exercises control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploiting them or facilitating their exploitation is guilty of an indictable offence.

For a charge under this offence, the evidence must indicate that the suspect has: Recruited, transported, transferred, received, held, concealed, or harboured the victim, or exercised control, direction or influence over the movements of the victim; and done this for the purpose of exploiting the victim or facilitating their exploitation.

Human trafficking includes three elements:

  • Act: recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring, or receiving people
  • Means: threat or use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, or abuse of power, or paying someone in control of the victim.
  • Purpose: exploitation

There are three other main offences to address human trafficking in Canada's criminal law:

  • Section 279.011 (Trafficking of a person under the age of eighteen years),
  • Section 279.02 (Knowingly getting money or other benefits from human trafficking), and
  • Section 279.03 (Taking or destroying travel or personal identification documents of a person being trafficked).

The Criminal Code defines "exploitation" as follows:

Exploitation (section 279.04): Causing someone to provide, or offer to provide, labour or a service by engaging in conduct that could reasonably be expected to cause that person to believe that their safety, or the safety of a person they know, would be threatened if they failed to do so.

Proving exploitation regarding human trafficking requires proof that shows that a reasonable person, standing in the survivor's shoes, would be afraid – taking into account all of the survivor's unique circumstances (e.g., age, gender, national/ethnic origin, socioeconomic conditions, etc.). It does not imply that the survivor must state that they feared for their own or someone else's safety.

An important point to remember is that a victim's or survivor's consent is NOT a defence to a human trafficking charge. In Canada, no one has the legal right to consent to being exploited.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a form of sexual exploitation that can include recruiting, harbouring, transporting, obtaining, or providing a person for the purpose of sex.

It refers to the forced, coercive, fraudulent, or deceptive exchange of sex for something of value (for example, money, food, drugs, alcohol, transportation, shelter).

In Ontario, sex trafficking is the most commonly reported form of human trafficking.

There is no single profile of a person who may be trafficked. Human trafficking can affect anyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, education level, income, disability, or citizenship status. However, traffickers often target people who are experiencing vulnerability, isolation, or instability.

Individuals who may be at higher risk of sexual exploitation include:

  • Women and girls, although boys, men, and people who are 2SLGBTQQIA+ are also targeted
  • Homeless or marginalised individuals, particularly youth
  • People experiencing low self-esteem, social isolation, or a desire for belonging
  • Individuals who have experienced bullying, discrimination, abuse, or family violence
  • People living with addiction, mental health challenges, or developmental disabilities
  • Young people facing poverty, instability, or lack of social supports

Traffickers are skilled at identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities. They may use substances, emotional manipulation, threats, or violence to recruit, control, or exploit victims. Some traffickers deliberately provide drugs to break down resistance and increase dependence.

Indigenous individuals, particularly women and girls, are disproportionately affected by human trafficking in Canada. The ongoing impacts of colonisation, residential schools, intergenerational trauma, racism, poverty, isolation, substance use, and lack of access to supports increase vulnerability to exploitation.

While anyone can be targeted, traffickers most often exploit those who are isolated, marginalised, or facing barriers to safety, stability, and support.

Human trafficking can be difficult to identify. Changes in behaviour, physical appearance, belongings, and relationships with family and friends may indicate that someone is being trafficked. A single sign on its own may not mean trafficking is occurring, but multiple indicators together may signal cause for concern.

Behavioural signs may include:

  • Repeatedly missing from home or frequently reported missing to police
  • Being secretive about activities or whereabouts
  • Staying out later than usual or sudden changes to daily routines (awake at night, sleeping during the day)
  • Declining school attendance or performance, or dropping out of school
  • Withdrawing from family and friends or becoming evasive about new relationships
  • Increased use of transportation such as taxis, ride-hailing, or ride-sharing services
  • Not being allowed to speak for themselves or having another person control their movements, communication, or finances
  • Appearing fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, nervous, or paranoid, particularly around people in authority or police
  • Avoiding eye contact or appearing coached when answering questions
  • Moving frequently and being unfamiliar with their surroundings
  • Dissociation or difficulty recalling conversations or events
  • Use of slang commonly associated with the sex trade

Online and social media indicators may include:

  • Sudden changes in online behaviour or social media presence
  • New or multiple profiles, online friends, or accounts
  • Using false names or ages online
  • Posting increasingly sexualised or provocative images
  • Using applications that disguise phone numbers
  • Preventing family members from accessing accounts

Physical appearance and belongings may include:

  • New clothing, jewellery, or accessories they cannot afford
  • Wearing more sexualised clothing than before
  • Signs of physical abuse such as unexplained bruises, burns, or fractures
  • Tattoos or branding symbols, particularly names or symbols they are unwilling to explain
  • Appearing malnourished or lacking access to medical care
  • Recurring medical issues, including untreated injuries or sexually transmitted infections

Control, labour, and financial indicators may include:

  • Being unpaid or paid very little for work
  • Working long or unusual hours without breaks or living in poor conditions
  • Repaying a large debt through labour, sex, or sexual imagery
  • Not having control of personal identification, money, or important documents
  • Carrying multiple cell phones, large amounts of cash, prepaid credit cards, or hotel keys
  • Possessing notebooks or papers with nicknames, phone numbers, prices, or dollar amounts
  • Possession of sexual paraphernalia such as bulk condoms or lubricant

Human trafficking often occurs in hidden and controlled environments. If you are concerned about someone’s safety, trust your instincts and seek help through appropriate community supports or law enforcement.

Sex traffickers purposely develop a bond with the person they are trafficking and manipulate them by making them believe they are better off staying than leaving. This bond is developed in stages, over time.

Please note: This is a broad overview of how sex trafficking can occur. Not all circumstances follow this pattern or include each of these elements.

Luring

  • The sex trafficker can be a stranger, someone connected to the victim through social media or someone they know personally. The trafficker may suddenly be very interested in the victim, say nice things, take them out and spend money on them.

Grooming

  • The sex trafficker may act like a generous boyfriend or friend, make the victim feel adored and spend money on things like lingerie, accessories and new clothes. They may also try to get the victim to look older or sexier and push their boundaries by trying out risky behaviours, such as trying drugs or alcohol, missing school or other extracurricular activities and taking sexually explicit photos.

Isolation

  • The sex trafficker may try to distance the victim from friends and family, and make the victim feel like they are the only person who cares about them. This helps the trafficker assert control.

Manipulation

  • At some point the sex trafficker will ask the victim to do sexual things with them or others to “repay” them for the money that has been spent on them, to maintain their new lifestyle or to earn money for their future together. The sex trafficker may also tell the victim that the victim owes someone money and something bad will happen to them if they don’t do what the trafficker wants.

Threats

  • The sex trafficker may try to coerce the victim into sex by threatening to expose the things (e.g. explicit photographs) that they’ve done to others. They may also threaten to hurt the victim or someone they care about.

Exploitation

  • The sex trafficker’s main goal is to control and exploit the victim by forcing them to have sex in exchange for things they need, want or for money.

Traffickers may abuse a relationship of trust, authority or dependency with the victim in order to exploit them. If the victim tries to say no, the trafficker may threaten to harm them or someone they care about. Often times the victim is not fully aware that coercion and threatening behaviour is happening because they are communicated in covert ways.

When someone is being trafficked, their traffickers often control every aspect of their life, including when they eat and sleep, what they wear and who they talk to. People who are being trafficked and people who come into contact with them, may not know or understand that a crime is taking place.

Grooming is a process in which someone deliberately builds a relationship, trust, or emotional connection with an individual in order to manipulate, exploit, or abuse them. Traffickers often take time to get to know a person, identify their vulnerabilities, and use those vulnerabilities to gain control.

Grooming can happen over a short period of time or develop gradually over days, weeks, months, or even years. During this process, the trafficker slowly earns the person’s trust and encourages dependence by offering attention, affection, support, or gifts.

Traffickers may promise a better life, such as a romantic relationship, employment, financial security, or material items. These promises are used to exploit a person’s needs, hopes, or desire for belonging.

Children and young people who are groomed may be sexually abused, sexually exploited, or trafficked.

Grooming can be carried out by anyone, regardless of age or gender. Traffickers may present themselves as friends, romantic partners, classmates, mentors, employers, or even online influencers or social media personalities.

Grooming can occur in person or online, including through social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps.

Traffickers who groom a child or adolescent online may:

  • Befriend a child or adolescent over the course of days, months, or even years. It removes the concept of "stranger danger" by posing as a peer, acquaintance, partner, or a friend.
  • Use offensive sexual words, exposing children to pornographic videos, or performing sexual acts on themselves in front of the child, traffickers may encourage a child or youth to explore their sexuality.
  • The trafficker will use sextortion tactics, where the trafficker will convince a child to engage in sexual activity and take photos or videos of themselves. The trafficker then uses the images to threaten that child.

The trafficker may also threaten to injure themselves or the child's family if the child abandons them by harming the child emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

Grooming can occur both in person and online. Changes in behaviour, mood, relationships, and online activity may indicate that someone is being groomed. A single sign on its own may not mean grooming is occurring, but multiple indicators together may signal cause for concern.

Behavioural and emotional signs may include:

  • Being very secretive about activities, whereabouts, or how time is being spent
  • Unexplained or abrupt mood swings
  • Appearing withdrawn, distressed, quieter than usual, or unusually volatile
  • Spending increasing amounts of time away from home or going missing for periods of time
  • Underage use of alcohol or drugs
  • Unusual distractedness or preoccupation
  • Difficulty disengaging from a phone or device, resulting in stress or anxiety

Relationship and social changes may include:

  • Having a romantic partner or “friend” they are reluctant to introduce to family or friends
  • Isolating from family, friends, or usual support networks

Online and digital indicators may include:

  • Secrecy about who they are communicating with online
  • Spending significantly more time online or on digital devices
  • Quickly switching screens or hiding activity when others are nearby
  • Creating or engaging with sexualised or provocative social media content
  • Accessing websites associated with the sale of sexual services

Physical and lifestyle changes may include:

  • Sudden or drastic changes in appearance or style of dress
  • Possessing money, gifts, clothing, phones, or other items they cannot explain

Sexualised behaviour or language may include:

  • Using sexual language or slang that is not age-appropriate
  • Demonstrating a level of sexual knowledge or behaviour that is unusual for their age

Grooming is often subtle and designed to build trust and dependency over time. Trust your instincts and seek help if you are concerned about someone’s safety.

Once a trafficker has recruited an individual, control is maintained through a combination of overt actions and subtle, ongoing manipulation. These tactics are designed to create fear, dependence, and isolation, making it extremely difficult for a victim to leave.

Common ways traffickers maintain control include:

Psychological and emotional control

  • Building an intense emotional or romantic relationship to create attachment and dependence
  • Manipulating emotions to make the victim feel loved, valued, or indebted
  • Promising a “better life,” such as a relationship, financial stability, housing, or a sense of family
  • Removing positive influences by isolating the victim from friends, family, and support systems
  • Creating competition or rivalry by rewarding compliance and withholding affection or attention from others

Isolation and identity control

  • Limiting or cutting off contact with family, friends, or the outside world
  • Controlling communication, including phone and social media use
  • Confiscating identification, passports, or other important documents
  • Assigning nicknames or “working names” and discouraging use of legal names

Financial control

  • Withholding money so the victim has no financial independence
  • Imposing daily earning quotas
  • Creating or exaggerating debt to ensure ongoing dependence
  • Forcing the victim to pay for expenses such as housing, food, transportation, hotels, or gas
  • Coercing the victim into taking out loans or renting vehicles, with profits going to the trafficker
  • Collecting earnings regularly so the victim starts each day without money and must continue earning to meet basic needs

Threats, intimidation, and violence

  • Threatening harm to the victim or their family
  • Using intimidation, coercion, or fear to enforce compliance
  • Physical violence, sexual abuse, or torture
  • Extortion, including threats to expose personal information or images

Sexual exploitation and coercion

  • Forcing participation in sexual acts or illegal activities
  • Recording or distributing sexually explicit images or videos to maintain control
  • Creating dependency through forced pregnancy or emotional bonds tied to caregiving

Rules and enforcement

  • Imposing strict rules that control behaviour, movement, and interactions
  • Requiring the use of specific titles or terms to reinforce authority and control
  • Restricting eye contact or communication with others under threat of punishment
  • Enforcing rules through physical abuse, humiliation, or deprivation

Traffickers rely on fear, manipulation, and dependence, rather than constant physical force, to maintain control. These tactics are intentional and calculated, and they often escalate over time.

If you are experiencing human trafficking, it is important to know this: what is happening is not your fault. Human trafficking is a crime, and responsibility always lies with the trafficker—not the person being exploited.

Being trafficked is often a deeply traumatic experience that can affect both emotional and physical wellbeing. Many people do not realise they are being trafficked, especially when manipulation, control, or emotional bonds are involved. This can make it difficult to recognise exploitation or ask for help.

People who are being trafficked or who have been trafficked may experience a range of emotions, including:

  • Anger
  • Guilt or shame
  • Self-blame
  • Fear, confusion, or constant caution
  • Anxiety or panic
  • Sadness or depression
  • Feeling worthless, alone, or disconnected
  • Feeling trapped or out of control
  • Difficulty trusting others
  • Conflicting or confusing feelings toward the trafficker

These reactions are common responses to exploitation, manipulation, and abuse. Everyone’s experience is different, and if you are feeling something not listed here, that is okay too.

Some people may also experience longer-term impacts, such as:

  • Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Substance use as a way to cope
  • Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
  • Physical health impacts, including injury, pregnancy, or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
  • Housing insecurity or homelessness
  • Other mental health challenges

The emotional and psychological effects of trafficking can last long after the exploitation ends—but support and healing are possible.

Remember:

  • What you are experiencing is a crime committed against you
  • You did nothing to cause this
  • You are not to blame for the trafficker’s actions

Help is available, and you deserve safety and support

A trauma bond is a psychological response to abuse. It occurs when a person forms a strong emotional attachment to someone who is harming or exploiting them. This bond develops through cycles of manipulation, fear, affection, and control.

In human trafficking situations, individuals are often lured or groomed with promises of love, care, stability, or a relationship. Over time, this can develop into an intense attachment to the trafficker. For some, this may be the first time they have experienced attention, affection, or a sense of belonging.

Once the relationship is established, the trafficker often begins a cycle of abuse, alternating between:

  • Affection, kindness, apologies, and reassurance
  • Anger, threats, manipulation, and violence

This cycle can create confusion and emotional dependence. Periods of kindness may give a sense of hope that things will return to how they were at the beginning, often referred to as the “honeymoon phase.” When abuse follows again, the individual may blame themselves and try harder to please the trafficker in hopes of restoring that early connection.

Over time, this pattern can leave a person in a constant state of fear, uncertainty, and hypervigilance. Even though the relationship is abusive, it may feel familiar or predictable, which can make leaving feel overwhelming or impossible.

Why does a trauma bond make it hard to leave?

Trauma bonds help explain why people may stay in abusive or exploitative situations. The common question, “Why don’t you just leave?” does not reflect the complex psychological impact of trauma, manipulation, and control.

Some reasons it can be difficult to leave include:

  • Not recognising the situation as abuse or exploitation
  • Viewing the trafficker as a romantic partner or protector
  • Being manipulated into believing the trafficker is the only source of safety or care
  • Being taught to distrust law enforcement or authority figures
  • Fear of retaliation, even if the trafficker is arrested
  • Lack of family, financial, or community support
  • Cultural or social pressure to keep abuse private
  • Feelings of shame or fear of judgment
  • Low self-worth or belief that abuse is deserved
  • Feeling too changed by the experience to survive independently
  • Believing that life outside trafficking would be worse or impossible

None of these feelings mean a person is weak. They are common responses to prolonged trauma and coercive control.

What are some signs of trauma bonding?

A person experiencing a trauma bond may:

  • Express gratitude for small acts of kindness from the trafficker
  • Defend or feel loyal to the trafficker
  • Minimise or rationalise abuse
  • Believe compliance can prevent future harm
  • Strive to return the relationship to the early “honeymoon” stage
  • Feel protective of the trafficker
  • Believe the trafficker genuinely loves or cares for them
  • Feel that only the trafficker understands or can help them

For some, the trafficker may be perceived as the first person to show affection, attention, or protection, which can deepen the bond and blur the reality of exploitation.

Important to remember

  • Trauma bonding is a normal psychological response to abuse
  • It does not mean the abuse is deserved
  • It does not mean the relationship is healthy
  • It does not mean someone is choosing exploitation

What is happening is a crime. Help, support, and healing are possible, even if leaving feels overwhelming right now.

Under the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA), selling sex is legal in Canada.

However, advertising sexual services, paying for those services, and living off the material gains from selling sex, are illegal.

In Canada, you have to be 16 years old to be able to legally agree to sexual activity. This is called the "age of consent". Sexual activity includes a range of activity from kissing to sexual intercourse and cannot include any abuse or exploitation. There are some exceptions for youth under 16, but only if the youth are in peer groups or close in age.

You have to be 18 years old to legally agree to sexual activity that "exploits" – when it involves prostitution, pornography or when sexual activity happens in a relationship of authority, trust or dependency (for example with a teacher, coach or babysitter).

For more information about sexual assault and consent, including common questions about reporting to police, what to expect from the court process, as well as local and virtual resources for medical care, counselling, crisis support, and guidance, click here.

Labour Trafficking

Labour trafficking is a form of human trafficking in which individuals are forced to work against their will through violence, threats, deception, debt bondage, or other forms of coercion. It is sometimes described using terms such as forced labour, servitude, or domestic servitude.

People who are trafficked for labour are often promised legitimate, well-paying jobs, education, or travel opportunities. Once recruited, they may be forced to work long hours in unsafe or poor conditions for little or no pay. Traffickers may control where a person lives, restrict their movement, and take away passports or other identification documents.

Debt bondage is a common tactic used in labour trafficking. Individuals may be told they must work to repay a large, unexpected, or illegal debt, making it difficult or impossible to leave.

Newcomers to Canada and people recruited from other countries may be especially vulnerable. Traffickers may make false promises about wages or working conditions and may exploit a lack of knowledge about employment rights. Some victims are threatened with job loss, loss of immigration status, or deportation if they speak out or seek help. Fear of authorities and concern for family members in their home country can also be used as tools of control.

Anyone can be targeted for labour trafficking, but traffickers most often exploit individuals who are isolated, marginalised, or facing barriers to safety, stability, and support.

People who may be at higher risk of labour trafficking include:

  • Migrant workers
  • Newcomers to Canada, particularly recent arrivals
  • Individuals with uncertain or precarious immigration status
  • People experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity
  • Individuals who do not speak English or French

Additional risk factors may include:

  • Not having possession of personal identification or travel documents
  • Recruitment-related debt or living in poverty
  • Language barriers that increase isolation
  • Limited knowledge of employment rights in Canada
  • Lack of awareness of available supports or how to seek help

While no single factor causes labour trafficking, traffickers often take advantage of these vulnerabilities to control and exploit individuals.

Labour trafficking can occur in many industries, including:

  • Construction
  • Agriculture and food processing
  • Manufacturing and mining
  • Restaurants and hospitality
  • Nail salons and personal care services
  • Sales and other service industries

Domestic servitude is another form of labour trafficking that occurs within private homes. Individuals may appear to be nannies, caregivers, or housekeepers but are exploited by working excessive hours with little or no time off, minimal or no pay, restricted movement, and limited access to outside support.

Labour trafficking can be difficult to identify. A single sign on its own may not indicate trafficking, but multiple indicators together may signal cause for concern.

Signs that a person may be experiencing labour trafficking include:

Pay and working conditions

  • Being underpaid, not paid at all, or having wages unjustifiably withheld or deducted
  • Working excessive or unusual hours, being forced to work overtime, or having no breaks or days off
  • Being required to perform duties outside the terms of their employment agreement
  • Being charged high, fraudulent, or unexpected recruitment fees
  • Lacking appropriate safety equipment or protective clothing for the job

Control and restriction

  • Having passports, identification, or travel documents held by an employer or recruiter
  • Being monitored or controlled, including not being allowed to speak for themselves
  • Being accompanied by another person when interacting with others or providing rehearsed or scripted answers
  • Living and working in the same location under employer control
  • Restricted movement or limited freedom to leave the workplace or housing

Isolation and dependency

  • Limited or no contact with family, friends, or the outside world
  • Appearing unfamiliar with their surroundings or local community
  • Owing a large, unmanageable, or constantly increasing debt to an employer or recruiter (debt bondage)
  • Having little or no access to their own earnings or finances

Abuse, fear, and intimidation

  • Experiencing emotional, psychological, or physical abuse
  • Being threatened with violence, job loss, loss of immigration status, or harm to themselves or others
  • Showing signs of fear, anxiety, submission, or distress
  • Appearing malnourished, exhausted, or having untreated injuries

Labour trafficking often involves a pattern of exploitation and control rather than a single incident. Trust your instincts and seek help if you are concerned about someone’s safety.

Some employers use threats, deception, and control to exploit workers. A single sign on its own may not indicate labour trafficking, but multiple warning signs together may signal cause for concern.

Signs an employer may be involved in labour trafficking include:

  • Offering a job that seems too good to be true
  • Making threats of deportation or reporting immigration status to police or authorities
  • Withholding or controlling personal identification, passports, or work permits
  • Threatening harm to the worker or their family if long hours or lower wages are not accepted
  • Requiring relocation for work with little information and no payment provided upfront
  • Forcing workers to live and/or work in unsafe, unhealthy, overcrowded, or inhumane conditions

If one or more of these signs apply to a job or employer, the worker—or someone they know—may be at risk of labour trafficking.

To report the abuse of temporary foreign workers or the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, contact the
confidential Service Canada tip line at 1-866-602-9448 or make a report online.

Ontario’s labour laws protect employees and workers in the province. These protections apply to workers regardless of:

  • their immigration status, work permits and legal entitlement to work in Canada
  • whether the work was performed “under the table”

Learn about your rights under:

Please note, some industries have special rules for employment standards. For more information please visit our Guide to special rules and exemptions.

Reporting Options

The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

Phone: 1-833-900-1010
Email: mailto:hotline@ccteht.ca
Website: canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca
Online Chat: https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca/chat/

If you think you might be experiencing grooming, luring, attempts at recruitment, human trafficking, or believe someone else may be, contact The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline.

Specially trained Hotline Response Advocates are available to talk 24/7/365. Confidential support is available in over 200 languages. The Hotline can connect callers with local emergency, transition, and/or long-term supports and services across the country.

You do not need to share any information you are not comfortable sharing. The Hotline exists to help and support you.

The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, a Canadian non-governmental organization and registered charity, operates the Hotline. The Hotline is not a government entity, immigration, investigative or law enforcement agency.

Get help for victims of labour trafficking

If you or someone you know may be subject to labour trafficking, you can share tips and get help by contacting the ministry’s Divisional Intelligence Unit:

You can request anonymity when contacting the ministry. When calling, telephone advisors will ask you to explain your situation and then assign an officer or inspector to follow up on the matter.

A criminal case is not needed to apply for a restraining order against a trafficker.

A Human Trafficking Restraining Order (also known as a Protection Order) is a court order signed by a judge to help protect a person who is being trafficked or is at risk of being trafficked. An application must be made to the court, and a judge will determine whether the order is necessary for the person’s safety.

If granted, the order sets out conditions the trafficker must follow. If these conditions are breached, the trafficker can be arrested for violating a court order.

Conditions may include, but are not limited to:

  • No direct or indirect contact with the victim
  • Not attending places where the victim may be (such as their home, workplace, school, shelter, or group home)
  • Returning the victim’s personal property and documents to a police station
  • Not possessing weapons
  • Deleting explicit images of the victim and not posting, selling, or sharing them in any way

There is no cost to obtain a Human Trafficking Restraining Order. This is a free service provided by the Ministry of the Attorney General, and a lawyer will be assigned at no cost to prepare and bring the application.

A Human Trafficking Restraining Order can be requested by:

  • An adult victim for themselves
  • A child victim for themselves
  • Another person acting on behalf of a victim, with the victim’s consent
  • A parent or legal guardian of a child victim (under 18), with or without the child’s consent (the child is a party to the application and may oppose it)

Confidentiality and police involvement

  • The lawyer is bound by solicitor-client privilege, which means all communications between the lawyer and their client are confidential. The lawyer will not share information with police unless the client gives permission to do so.

To request a Human Trafficking Restraining Order:

Call the Human Trafficking Help Line at 1-833-900-1010 and ask to be connected to a lawyer for a restraining order

To report the abuse of temporary foreign workers or the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, contact the
confidential Service Canada tip line at 1-866-602-9448 or make a report online.

Click here to learn more.

To report the online sexual exploitation of children, contact the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service or submit a report to Cybertip.ca through their online tip form or at 1-866-658-9022

You can provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 705-942-7867 or 1-800-222-8477. You can also click here to submit a web-tip or download the P3 app. Your tip to Crime Stoppers is anonymous and protected by case law, for more information click here.

Reporting to Police

If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If the situation is not an emergency, you can contact police on the non-emergency telephone number at (705) 949-6300 or visit the Police Services Building or Division 2 during business hours.

Click here for our contact and address information.

The first responding officer, usually a uniform officer, will come to your location and take brief details about the incident in order to complete an initial report. This will happen in a private setting if possible.

The officer will also tend to your physical and emotional needs and call for an ambulance if required

If you are willing to provide a statement, you may attend the Police Services Building for a more detailed interview.

If you have recently been sexually assaulted, you may choose to complete a Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAEK) at a healthcare facility. You can learn more about your options after a sexual assault here.

A detective who specializes in human trafficking investigations will be assigned to your case. They may also offer to connect you with local resources for ongoing support.

No. You are not required to make a statement or answer police questions. Choosing whether to provide a statement is your decision.

Police understand that this may be an extremely difficult time for you. They may encourage you to provide a statement because it can help with the investigation, but they will respect your choice if you decide not to.

You will still be offered support and assistance, even if you choose not to make a statement.

Providing a statement can help police:

  • Understand what happened
  • Gather important evidence
  • Lay charges against the person responsible
  • Help prevent further harm and improve your safety

If you choose to give a statement:

  • You can tell police, in your own words, everything you remember
  • Some questions may feel difficult or uncomfortable, but officers will treat you with respect and without judgment
  • You may take as many breaks as you need at any time—just let the officer know
  • Try not to leave anything out, even if you’re unsure whether it’s important

Your well-being comes first, and police will work with you at your pace.

Who will see my statement?

If you do choose to make a statement, the police, Crown attorney, the defence counsel, the Judge, and the Accused may see a copy of your statement.

Can I change my statement at a later time?

Yes, you may change or amend your statement at a later date if you remember something of significance about the crime.

Contact the officer in charge of your case and tell him/her about the details you have remembered.

Police understand how serious and frightening these threats can be. While police cannot guarantee safety in every situation, they will take your concerns seriously and work with you to reduce risk where possible.

Depending on your situation, police may:

  • Assess safety risks and discuss options with you
  • Work with you to develop a personalized safety plan
  • Connect you with victim services and community supports
  • Take enforcement action where appropriate, such as laying charges or supporting court orders

Your safety concerns will be considered at every stage, and you will be supported in making informed decisions about what feels safest for you.

No. Your immigration status will not be affected by reporting to the police.

Your privacy is important to us. When an arrest is made in relation to human trafficking, the accused’s information and charges are released in a media release. Police will advise you before the media release is made public.

Your name, personal details, and anything that would identify you as a victim will never be released to the media. Protecting you and your identity is our number one priority.

It is the role of the police to lay charges if there is enough evidence to support the investigation. Sometimes the police will decide not to lay a charge. This does not mean that they do not believe you or that you were not trafficked. It may mean that there is not enough evidence to prove a criminal charge in court.

If this does occur, the investigator can explain why this happened in your case. The investigator can tell you of civil options available to you.

You will be permitted to communicate in the language most comfortable to you. If you require an interpreter, including a sign language interpreter, to help you communicate with the police or to testify in court, one will be provided for you.

If the offender is not caught, the case stays open until further evidence comes to light, or the offender is located and arrested.

Court Process

Once a person has been arrested and charged with a crime, they become “the accused”. Depending on the circumstances, the police can hold the accused for a bail hearing, may be referred to as a show-cause hearing, or release them with conditions.

If the police have not released the accused, the accused must go before a Justice of the Peace (JP) or a Judge within 24 hours of the arrest for a bail hearing.

At a bail hearing, the JP or Judge will decide if the accused is granted bail or kept in custody. Bail means someone known to the accused provides money or any type of surety as a promise that the accused will show up for their future court dates. The accused may also be required to agree to obey certain rules known as conditions as decided by the JP or Judge.

One of the conditions is usually a “No Contact Order”.

This means that the accused cannot have any contact with you – not even through a third party (another person). The accused, or anyone at the request of the accused, cannot contact you by phone, letter, e-mail, text message, social media or in person. Generally, the accused will not be allowed near your home, school and/or work. If the accused disobeys any of the bail conditions, you should contact the police. An additional charge for breaching the bail conditions can be laid against the accused.

The accused will make many court appearances throughout the judicial process. Some of these court dates will be referred to as “Set Dates.” You are not required to attend these court dates. These dates are routine preparation dates for the lawyers.

You will only have to attend a court date if there is a preliminary hearing or a trial.

Depending on the case, it can take between several months to several years for the court case to be finished. This long wait may be difficult for you. It is important to have support during this time. There are community agencies that can help you through the process.

Your case will be referred to a worker in the Victim/Witness Assistance Program (VWAP), located in the courthouse for the purpose of guiding you through the court process. The role of the worker will be to inform you of the status of the criminal court case and answer your questions about the criminal justice system, courtroom procedures and your role in court.

The VWAP workers will:

  • Help you understand what to expect at each court date;
  • Provide you with copies of court papers, such as bail conditions and probation orders;
  • Offer ongoing emotional support throughout the court process;
  • Help you complete a Victim Impact Statement; and
  • Coordinate with the Crown Attorney’s office to have you meet with the Crown Attorney, should you be required to testify

Upon setting a date for a preliminary hearing or trial, a Crown Attorney will be assigned as soon as possible. It is the responsibility of the Crown Attorney to meet with you and prepare you for the trial process. The preparation is usually done with the investigating officer and representatives from the VWAP.

There are several resources that will help you prepare for court. The investigator will offer these resources to you.

A preliminary hearing is a “mini trial” in front of a Judge. In a preliminary hearing, the Judge will decide if the Crown Attorney has enough evidence to proceed to trial. You will most likely have to testify in a preliminary hearing. Other witnesses may have to testify as well. The accused and their lawyer will also attend and testify.

A trial is when the Crown Attorney and the accused’s lawyer will ask you and other witness what happened before, during and after the sexual assault. At the end of the trial, the Judge will announce the outcome of the trial, which is called a verdict. Deciding the verdict can take several weeks while the Judge or jury reviews the evidence.

At the beginning of the trial, the accused will plead “guilty” or “not guilty” to the charge(s). A plea of “guilty” means the accused admits to the crime. In these cases, there will not be a trial and you will not have to testify. The Judge will listen to the facts of the case, find the accused guilty, and decide the punishment to be imposed. If the accused is found guilty, the Judge will choose from a range of sentences.

A plea of “not guilty” means the accused does not admit to the crime. The accused will then request a trial before a Judge or before a Judge and Jury. In these cases, you will have to attend court to testify at the trial.

It is important to remember that if the Judge or jury decide that the accused is not guilty, this does not mean you or the other witnesses were not believed. If the accused is found not guilty, the accused is free to go. This is called an acquittal.

As a survivor of sexual assault there are non-criminal options available to you. You may be awarded compensation even if no charges were laid or if the accused is found guilty.

If the accused chooses to plead not guilty, you will most likely be required to testify at the preliminary hearing and at the trial. There are several resources that will help you prepare for court. The investigator will offer these resources to you.

If you are expressing concerns about seeing your trafficker in the court room and you feel that seeing them will affect your testimony, the Crown can make an application so that you can testify in another room via CCTV (video). Most of the victims in human trafficking cases choose this method of testifying as they have expressed a great deal of fear and anxiety about seeing their trafficker in court. The Crown will make every effort to protect your rights and dignity, which will assist you in providing your testimony.

Otherwise, you will be brought to a private room in the courthouse and will remain there until you need to testify. If you want to leave the room, officers will walk with you. This is to ensure that you feel safe at all times during the court process. If the accused or any of their associates attempt to threaten or communicate with you, the officers will respond and further criminal charges may be laid.

Probation:

  • Probation is when offenders serve their time in the community. Offenders will be supervised by, and must visit a probation officer. An offender usually has rules to follow that are listed on the Probation Order. These rules, known as conditions, may include: not using alcohol; staying away from certain areas or people; attending counselling; seeking or maintaining employment; obeying a curfew. A Probation Order cannot last more than three years.
  • If the offender violates any one of the conditions of probation, he/she may be arrested and charged with a new offence “Breach of Probation”.

Suspended Sentence with Probation:

  • A Judge may choose to delay or “suspend” giving a sentence to the offender. This means that the Judge may release the offender on a Probation Order. The offender does not serve any jail time, but is under the supervision of a probation officer.

Intermittent Sentence:

  • When a Judge orders a sentence of 90 days or less, the offender may go to jail on weekends only. This allows the offender to go to work or school, or manage any health concerns. This sentence always comes with a Probation Order. When not in jail, the offender must comply with the Probation Order.

Incarceration:

  • Incarceration means that the offender is sent to jail. The judge can also order a “No Contact Order” as part of the sentence. This means the offender cannot contact you from jail.
  • If the sentence is less than two years, the offender is sent to a “Provincial Jail”. An offender may also be given a Probation Order to adhere to when he/she gets out of jail.
  • If the sentence is two years or more, the offender will be sent to “Federal Prison”. There are minimum, medium and maximum-security prisons. The security level is determined by the risk the offender may pose when in prison. It does not mean the sexual assault was more or less serious.

Appeals:

  • The accused or the Crown Attorney can ask for a higher court to review an acquittal, conviction, or sentence given by a Judge. This must be done within 30 days of the sentencing.

If the higher court agrees to hear the appeal, the Judge may change the original court’s decision, sentence, or order a whole new trial. You do not have to testify at an appeal court. You will only be called to testify again if a new trial is ordered.

Most offenders can apply for early release from prison after serving one third of their sentence or after seven years, whichever comes first. A Parole Board will decide, based on the offender’s behaviour and completed programming or treatment, whether or not to approve the offender’s request for parole. Offenders who are denied parole can reapply every two years.

Some offenders in the federal prison system are not allowed to apply for parole after serving one third of their sentence. In these cases, the Judge will decide during sentencing the date if the offender is allowed to apply for parole.

If parole is approved for an offender, this does not mean the offender is free without supervision. The offender will be released from prison and will serve the remainder of their sentence in the community under specified conditions and under the supervision of a parole officer.

Most offenders will not serve their full sentence in jail. In most cases, an offender will be released from jail on parole after serving a part of the sentence. You can request to be notified of the offender’s release and parole hearing.

If the offender is serving a sentence in a “Provincial Jail” - you may register with the Victim Notification System by calling 1-888-579-2888 (toll-free). Choose the option for the Victim Notification service.

If the offender is serving a sentence in a “Federal Prison” - you may register with the National Parole Board by calling toll free at: 1-800-518-8817.

To ensure you can be notified of parole hearings, or if the offender is transferred or released, call the Victim Services Unit of Correctional Service Canada toll free at: 1-866-806-2275.

If the court finds the accused guilty, including if the accused pleads guilty, the Crown Attorney will ask you to complete a Victim Impact Statement. This document is your opportunity to say how this crime has affected your life, emotionally and physically. This statement is taken into consideration by the Judge for sentencing. A VWAP worker can help you complete the Victim Impact Statement form.

Completing a Victim Impact Statement is your choice. You are not required to do so in order for the accused to be sentenced. It is also your choice if you want to read your statement to the court. It is very important for the Judge to understand the impact of the sexual assault on you and your life. If you do complete this statement, the Judge is required to consider what you have said when deciding what penalty be imposed.

If you or someone you know is under the age of 18, there are aids that can be utilized to relieve understandable apprehensions and fears of testifying. A VWAP worker can help organize the use of; closed-circuit TV (CCTV) to be utilized from another room, a screen to be placed to block the child’s view of the offender, the use of a support person while testifying or the use of a court approved therapy (if used at that courthouse).

At the first court appearance, the Crown, in most cases, will often apply for an Order banning the publication of any evidence that may tend to identify the victim/survivor, which includes not publishing your name.

Under section 486 of the Criminal Code, a Judge may prohibit the publication of identifying information about a complainant or witnesses in certain proceedings related to sexual offences (among other things).

If you do not want a publication ban then advise the police and VWAP as soon as possible who will communicate your wishes to the Crown.

A 486-publication ban does not apply to you if you are only discussing your particulars (not another victim’s), and in doing so you did not intentionally or recklessly reveal any other person whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

If there is a publication ban on your identity and you do not wish it to remain, you should speak with your VWAP worker and have them set up a meeting with the assigned Crown to discuss this. The Crown will make sure you are making an informed decision and, absent your request identifying another victim who does want the publication ban removed, will ask the court to remove the ban on your identity. Once this application is made by the Crown, the Court must remove the pub ban unless to do so would identify another victim who wishes their publication ban to remain in place. This only applies to a very small percentage of cases so please speak to your VWAP worker about this should you wish your publication ban removed.

Resources

Local Resources

Emergency: 9-1-1
SSMPS Non-Emergency: 705-949-6300

Sault Area Hospital Emergency Department
750 Great Northern Road
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
(705) 759-3434

Sexual Assault Care Centre/Partner Assault Clinic
Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
(705) 759-5143

Sault Area Hospital Crisis Services
24/7 telephone support
(705) 759-3398 or 1-800-721-0077 (toll-free)

Victim Services of Algoma
Main Office: 705-945-6905
Toll Free: 1-888-822-7792
info@victimservicesalgoma.ca
Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Women in Crisis (Algoma) Inc.
23 Oakland Ave., Sault Ste Marie, ON
Phone: 705-759-1230
24 hours a day, seven days a week

Women in Crisis: Community Connection Centre
390 Bay Street, Suite 102, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Phone: 705-759-1230
Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Algoma Family Services (Sault Ste. Marie)
Main Office: (705) 945-5050
Toll Free: 1-800-461-2237
Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Centre Victoria pour femmes
111 Elgin St. Suite 302, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Phone: (705) 253-0049
Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Virtual Resources

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
24/7 access to emotional support/guidance and referrals to resources and services (housing, case management, counselling, legal aid, restraining orders, law enforcement, etc.)
Toll-free: 1-833-900-1010 (more than 200 languages)
Online Chat: canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca/chat (English and French)

Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Toll-free: 1-866-863-0511
Toll-free TTY: 1-866-863-7868
Text: 7233
Live online chat (Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.)

Support for male survivors of sexual abuse
Toll-free: 1-866-887-0015

Talk4Healing
Counselling and support for Indigenous women and their families
Phone or text: 1-855-554-4325 (1-855-554-HEAL)
Live online chat

Fem’aide
French language support line
Phone or text at 1-877-336-2433 
Chat at www.femaide.ca

Victim Support Line
24/7 access to information and referrals
Phone: 1-888-579-2888

9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline
Text or call: 9-8-8

211 Ontario helpline
Text or call: 2-1-1
Live chat service available Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

Canadian Victims Bill of Rights

Ontario’s 2025-2030 Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy

Combating Human Trafficking Act, 2021

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