London is a trafficking hub. According to the London Police website, in 2017, the Human Trafficking Unit conducted 184 investigations, helped 15 trafficking victims escape, and laid 16 human trafficking charges.
Megan Walker is the Executive Director at the London Abused Women Centre and she highlighted that the reason London is a hub for trafficking is because we have a lot of young people who come for education, there is easy access to the highway, and we have men who come to London for meetings. But there are many factors that make trafficking possible in London.
Walker described human trafficking as “manipulative, coercive, and probably the most damaging that can be done to a woman or girl.”
Aura Burditt is an Outreach Worker for the Salvation Army Correctional and Justice Services and Chair for the London Anti-Human Trafficking Committee. She points out that over 90 percent of sex trafficking victims are women and girls between the ages of 18-24. And that, other then young people, there are other individuals who are targeted.
“We have of course a large population of homeless, people who are vulnerable to becoming trafficked, people with mental health or addiction battles to struggle with. Other elements that may lead into that but not necessarily specific to London are the other vulnerabilities. Proximity to indigenous populations who is another target group, anyone who is suffering from poverty, homelessness, traumatic childhood upbringing, current trauma, domestic violence. All of those issues that many cities struggle with create a vulnerability for individuals to become targeted by a trafficker,” said Burditt.
She also said that the best way to stop trafficking is to try to prevent it before it happens. To do this, we need to close the gaps within our society.
It is easy to get into trafficking but extremely difficult to get out. But some do make it out. So, what can be done to help survivors?
Burditt and Walker pointed out that the best thing for these women is for them to be able to make their own decisions and have support in whichever way they chose is best for them.
“Their stories are very powerful and impactful. They’re amazing women who are strong and resilient and self-directed, and just being able to walk alongside of them has really moved me to see that every life has hope for continuing and overcoming. And these women are evidence that there’s another way of surviving and rebuilding your own personal strength. So, being able to see them relying on their own personal strength to overcome some of the horrendous issues that they’ve experienced is a very powerful thing,” said Burditt.
Burditt said that she feels privileged to be able to work with them.
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