GUELPH – Members of the Rotary Club of Guelph South converged on city hall on July 29 to raise a flag and raise awareness about human sex trafficking.
It’s an issue the club has taken on since hearing a presentation from Luisa Krause, founder and executive director of Elora House, a facility that offers housing and support for women trying to leave sex trafficking.
“We were shocked to the core,” said Lise Burcher, a Rotarian and co-chair of the initiative. “This is absolutely a crisis in our own backyard.”
According to Statistics Canada, 2,468 incidents of human trafficking have been reported to police services in Canada between 2009 and 2019 and 95% of victims of police-reported human trafficking were women and girls.
Victims are lured away from their family and friends, often by someone they think is a boyfriend, and unknowingly find themselves prostituted.
“According to the data, the average age when they are drawn into sex trafficking is (12 to 14),” Burcher said.
“Make no mistake – this is happening in Guelph. This is happening to young women. And Highway 401 is the sex trafficking highway.”
The club held a speaker series to raise knowledge and awareness of the situation.
And members are forming partnerships with businesses and the city to initiate training programs for staff.
“All of us need to do more to end this terrible crisis,” said Bill Hammond, CEO of Hammond Power Solutions, the first business in the city to embrace the Rotary initiative.
The company has locations throughout the world and Hammond said there will be training for staff at all locations.
He said the company will also reach out to its partners and suppliers to spread the word.
“All of us need to do more and it can start today,” he said.
Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie said he was shocked when a police officer made a presentation to the Police Services Board on the topic.
“It cuts you to the core,” Guthrie said. “My jaw was open the whole time that this is happening in Guelph.”
He has reached out to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and has received a positive response.
“Let’s make sure we keep ourselves accountable; make sure this is not just a day we think about it. We need to rally as a community,” Guthrie added.
In Wellington County, Wellington OPP, Victim Services Wellington and Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington have partnered to raise awareness of the issue as well.
The Crime Stoppers website has lots of information on how to recognize that someone may be trafficked, misconceptions about trafficking, online safety tips and other ways to help a victim.
To learn more, visit crimestoppersguelphwellington.com. To learn more about the Rotary initiative, visit www.guelphsouthrotary.ca.
