Anti-human trafficking awareness
February 22, 2022
February 22 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, a time to bring awareness to the extent to which individuals are exploited through labour trafficking and sex trafficking in Canada. Recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness Day at Niagara College is a step towards combatting this form of modern-day slavery, helping to advocate on behalf of survivors, and supporting actions to ending the abuse.
Human trafficking – especially sex trafficking – is a pervasive threat to public safety involving the recruitment, transportation, harbouring and/or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Sex trafficking is the most common in Ontario, and while men, women and children are impacted, it is a gender-based crime that predominantly impacts Canadian women and girls. Certain groups are disproportionally vulnerable, including Indigenous women and girls, migrants and new immigrants, LGBTQ2 persons, persons living with disabilities, children in the child welfare system, at-risk youth, and those who are socially or economically disadvantaged.
For more information on local efforts against Human Trafficking, visit the Niagara Regional Police Service website. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline offers resources if you or someone you know is impacted by human trafficking.
Support at NC
Niagara College is committed to supporting those who have been impacted by sexual and gender-based violence. NC has a dedicated Sexual Violence Prevention & Response coordinator, Katlyn Smith, who employs a trauma informed and survivor centered approach to supporting students impacted by sexual violence. Kaytee is also responsible for awareness programming and initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of zero tolerance toward sexual violence.
For more information about sexual violence, consent, support, and resources visit: niagaracollege.ca/consentiskey/resources/ or reach out to [email protected].
The Student Rights and Responsibilities Office, in collaboration with Indigenous Education, are offering a training session with Jessica Wilson entitled Domestic Sex Trafficking through a trauma-informed lens. The two-part training – open to students and employees – will take place on February 24 and 25. See the events calendar for details.