Crime Stoppers: videos illustrate reality of trafficking, sex assault

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) officials say new videos on human trafficking and sexual assault help urge victims to take advantage of supports and encourage others to report  the crimes.

Human Trafficking in Wellington (HTinWC) and Sexual Assault in Wellington (SAinWC) recently wrapped their provincial grant terms with videos that officials say are “impactful.”

The campaigns, released in partnership with Victim Services Guelph Wellington, Wellington County OPP and CSGW, aim to “reach a broad audience online,” officials say.

The human trafficking video “illustrates the experience of a victim who is engaged through social media.” Officials say it was informed by frontline workers who support survivors of human trafficking to ensure it is a realistic representation of the crime.

The sexual assault video includes a “victim’s morning after” text exchange between a victim and a friend and a “perpetrators’s morning after” text exchange between the perpetrator and a friend “who is aware of this criminal’s horrific behavior.”

The videos are available on www.htinwc.com and www.sainwc.com as well on the CSGW YouTube channel CSGW Tips.

CSGW officials say “while the grant has come to an end, the messaging continues and anyone interested in presentations to educate on human trafficking, sexual assault, reporting these crimes or cybersafety is invited to contact CSGW at www.csgw.tips.” Funding for videos was provided by the solicitor general’s CSP grant.

Anyone with information about human trafficking and sexual assault can call CSGW at 1-800-222-TIPS or provide a tip at www.csgw.tips.