Sex trafficking
WHAT IS SEX TRAFFICKING ?
Sex trafficking is a form of slavery where humans are
traded commercially to be used sexually.
The participation of these individuals is, in the vast majority of cases, involuntary, because even when there is consent, it is obtained through deception, abduction, or arises from a situation of vulnerability.
THE VICTIM'S REALITY
- The services for these women are practically non-existent. La Sortie offers them the help they so urgently need.
- Their lifestyle often results in addiction, mental health problems, homelessness, and social disfunction.
- Victims are stigmatized, judged and valued only for sex.
- Victims are traumatized by abuse (verbal, sexual, or physical), violence, harassment, manipulation, threats and attacks.
- Many of them believe they are in a love affair with their trafficker (pimp).
- Few worry about this problem, because these activities are mostly secretive and illegal.
They are mostly defenceless young girls, who are looking for love and are continually suffering from a lack of self-confidence.
it is because at least he thinks you are worth it.
At least it proves somebody thinks you are worth something. »
Quote from a victim in a book by Michel Dorais
They are approached and are initially nurtured materially and emotionally, after which they are gradually lured into the lifestyle and activities tied to the sexual market for profit.
« They give you money, drugs and ‘fun’,
but in the end, they want your dignity and self-worth. »
Testimony of Katarina Rosenblatt (addressing a school assembly)
SEX TRADE IN QUEBEC: STATISTICS
The 300 years of slavery in the colonial era had fewer people exchanged for sex trafficking or other form of slavery than today. (UNODC 2012)
2.4 million victims of human trafficking in the world. (UNODC 2012)
$32 billion in annual revenues, making it the second largest criminal industry after arms trafficking. (UNODC 2012)
Montréal is designated as a major destination for sexual tourism.
(D.O.S. États-Unis, 2009) (E.C.P.A.T., 2016)
1 077 offers for sexual services on the island of Montreal including :
– 200 massage parlors,
– 65 nude dancing bars,
– 38 escort agencies.
(CLES, 2014) (SRCQ, 2013)
1 500 pimps or more have been active in Québec over the last 10 years.
(SRCQ, 2013)
4 000 young women and men (aged 12 to 25) are sexually exploited in Montréal alone.
(Revue Défi Jeunesse 2002)
89 % of prostituted women want to get out of it. (CSF 2012)
90% of the victims of sex trafficking in Montréal are Canadian residents. (Jiminez 2014)
78% of women who have left the sex industry say they have mental health problems. (CLES 2014)
59% of the acts directed against women by their pimps are crimes of violence. (SRCQ 2013)
THE ISSUE OF SEX TRAFFICKING
Victims often find themselves in complex romantic relationships with their pimps. In 2018, it was estimated that this was the case for 85 to 90% of prostituted women. These relationships are characterized by an unequal power dynamic, in which the pimp exerts psychological and emotional control over the victim.
Women may be led to believe that they are in a genuine romantic relationship with their pimp, when in reality, they are being manipulated and exploited.
This illusion of love is often reinforced by promises of protection, affection, and support, creating emotional and financial dependence. Pimps use this dependence to maintain control over their victims, preventing them from leaving the sex industry and freeing themselves from sex trafficking.
Young teenage girls seeking love are easy targets. Pimps use sophisticated psychological strategies to seduce and manipulate their victims. They often begin by establishing a relationship of trust, presenting themselves as caring partners or protective figures. They exploit emotional vulnerabilities, such as low self-esteem or unmet emotional needs, to create emotional dependence.
Once this trust has been established, they use control tactics such as social isolation, distancing the victim from her friends and family. They may also make promises of a better life or a future together, while gradually introducing exploitative behaviors. The manipulation may involve alternating between displays of affection and intimidating behavior, creating a dynamic in which the victim feels trapped yet emotionally attached.
Victims are bound by psychosocial chains such as manipulation, violence, and financial dependence.
Women who have experienced sex trafficking face many difficult realities. They often live with issues related to addiction, mental health, homelessness, and debt. They are condemned, judged, and valued solely for sex.
They experience trauma resulting from assault and verbal, sexual, or physical abuse, as well as indoctrination. And yet, support services for them are almost nonexistent, and few people care about what happens to them.
