With the opening of the FIFA World Cup only weeks away, authorities are warning about a darker side of major sporting events.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors are about to descend on several North American cities, including Toronto, and law enforcement and other agencies are coordinating efforts to fight human trafficking.
Authorities say there is a heightened risk of human and sex trafficking when major events come to a big city.
"Human trafficking is a business, right?" said Timea Nagy, a sex trade survivor and advocate. "So when you increase your customers by a hundred or a thousand, then you take the product to a place where you sell it the most.’
The Children’s Aid Society in the Peel Region, west of Toronto, is at the forefront of efforts by police, elected officials and community organizations to form an integrated hub based on a trauma-informed approach. A campaign is also underway aimed at preventative efforts for young people ages 12 to 24, and to provide support.
"We’re working more collaboratively together," said Mary Beth Moellenkamp, CEO of Peel Children's Aid Society. "Then, ultimately, what we’re going to be able to do is ... find support for them in a more timely fashion, which hopefully can make the difference between their safety and maybe a really terrible situation.’
Moellenkamp said that also means focusing on the Toronto Pearson International Airport, where thousands of World Cup visitors will come and go.
"Right now it takes us a couple of hours to get to the airport, depending on the time the agency calls us," she said. "By being there on site, then we can get there much quicker and hopefully be able to convince that child to access support.’
Also on board is Victim Services Toronto. Here’s the organization’s Carly Kalish.....
"We know the combination of adrenaline, testosterone and alcohol lead to increases in gender-based violence," said its CEO, Carly Kalish. "We know that major sporting events increase all of those, and it’s a dangerous combination. So we’re preparing for a mass influx of people and, with that combination, we’re wanting to create as many safe spaces as we can."
One program that’s getting more attention ahead of the World Cup is the Ask for Angela safety campaign. Many staff members at hotels and retail outlets have been trained to recognize and help people who are in need.
"Someone at Shopper’s Drug Mart went to a pharmacist and said is Angela here," said Kalish, referencing the code phrase and enact the protocol. "They had been trained so they knew exactly what to do and they said 'Do you want the police or victims’ services?' She said 'I want you to call victims’ services.' So we came to the location, met her. She said she needed a shelter, bed and was fleeing intimate partner violence that night."
The Ask for Angela campaign could be crucial for many victims of human trafficking, according to Keri Fernandes, Unit Commander of the Toronto Police's sex crimes unit.
"The victims often only have a small window opportunity to reach out for help when they’re away from their trafficker," Fernandes said. "Opportunities at hotels, at grocery stores, at pharmacies; that’s often the only period of time a victim will be away from their offender."
A North American campaign against human trafficking was launched ahead of the World Cup, bringing together agencies from host countries U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The campaign, known as It’s a Penalty, is trying to raise awareness by asking people and industries to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to get help. The campaign focuses on survivor tools, educational videos, reporting mechanisms and training.
