Human Trafficking

Today is a momentous day in Canadian history. It is our first National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. As the new Interim Executive Director for Restorations Second Stage Homes I am honoured to share a little bit about myself and my story with you here.

When people hear about the work I do with survivors, they often want to share with me the latest story they have heard about trafficking. As they share details, it could be about a case or a news story I hadn’t yet heard, and yet elements of it - the targeting, recruiting, grooming or conditioning, and exploitation of victims - tend to follow similar patterns. Despite this, trafficking can look vastly different and take on different forms.

The Exodus Road is a nonprofit dedicated to strategically fighting human trafficking across the globe. The organization intervenes in human trafficking situations by empowering nationals around the world to gather evidence and facilitate rescue missions with local police to free enslaved people. 

Since 2011, I’ve been speaking and raising awareness about issues relating to human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Over the years, my presentation style changes and evolves to work to my strengths and address emerging issues. One of the challenges I have speaking to audiences of strangers is not knowing how much they might already know about the issue, so I tend to start with general facts and information and go from there. Last year, I adapted my presentation and centered my content around myths about human trafficking.

Like many around the globe, my ministry, my family, and I have had to make changes to our way of life in light of COVID-19. This spring, Restorations had been looking forward to completing the renovations of our home where we hope to launch our residential program for survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation later this year. COVID-19 has brought disappointments – like turning away a large group of volunteers from local CRC churches who had been eagerly waiting to help paint the house.

I never intended to work as a psychotherapist.  When I first went off to ‘pursue’ a career I chose being a school teacher.   I even taught Grade 6 for two years. Then as life would have it, I decided to take a risk and covered a maternity leave teaching GED (high school equivalency) to moms in the Jane/Finch area of Toronto.  I fell in love with the vulnerable women that I was working with.

Across the globe populations are being told to stay home, to isolate from their neighbors, to not travel or even go into work.   Drastic measures taken to safeguard our neighbors by creating borders between us to stop a virus that has no borders.  And as has been pointed out, these measures are a luxury for many.  Not all have anywhere to go to isolate from others. Not all have running water to repeatedly wash hands or internet connections to maintain work productivity.

Lent comes to us providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.  - Pope Francis 

On February 22, 2018, Ontario’s Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Office launched its first Human Trafficking Awareness Day. And this year – in 2020 – there is advocacy to recognize this day nationally. At Restorations Second Stage Homes, we use the opportunity to highlight a variety of other awareness days throughout the year to address issues or topics that intersect with human trafficking.

Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem.  May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.  - Pope Francis 

Fire Kills Workers in India

A fire broke out at a factory in India's capital New Delhi early on Sunday morning. At least 43 people have been reported dead. Many of the victims were asleep in beds in the factory, resting between shifts, when the fire began. Most of the victims were Muslim migrant workers who came from the Eastern state of Bihar, earning as little as $2.10 a day making a variety of garments.