Windsor police have launched a new online reporting portal and public awareness campaign aimed at making it easier to report suspected human trafficking and connect victims with support. The campaign will see posters featuring QR codes placed on more than 80 Transit Windsor buses and at several bus shelters across the city. More than 300 additional posters will be distributed to community partners. The QR codes direct people to a Windsor Police Service online portal where they can report suspected trafficking involving themselves or someone they know, learn about warning signs and find information about support services. “It’s very important,” Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said of the campaign’s community focus. “Each member of a community has a role to play, because we don’t always know when somebody is being trafficked.” Kerzner said residents should not hesitate to speak up when they suspect someone may be in need of help. “We have to look to community to be that big set of eyes and to not be timid,” he said. “Don’t hesitate when it comes time to doing the right thing, helping somebody in need.” Windsor police say human trafficking can involve sexual exploitation, forced labour or other forms of abuse, with victims often isolated, controlled or afraid to seek help. Inspector David DeLuca said one warning sign can be a sudden change in someone’s behaviour or relationships. “Look for individuals who are isolated from friends and family,” DeLuca said. “If you know someone who was previously gregarious and outgoing and suddenly is now in a new relationship and suddenly is withdrawn, that is usually one of our key factors.” According to DeLuca, Windsor Police have laid 43 charges in eight cases so far this year. He said many trafficking victims are under the age of 16, but warned the crime can take other forms, including labour trafficking. DeLuca said some people brought to Canada with promises of employment can instead find themselves effectively trapped in exploitative working conditions. “That’s another form of human trafficking,” DeLuca stated. “And that’s probably one that we don’t see reported at all.” Officials said the new online reporting tool is designed to lower some of the barriers to coming forward. DeLuca said the online report consists of a series of simple fields, with information submitted directly to police investigators for screening and follow-up. Shelley Gilbert, executive director of Legal Assistance of Windsor, said reporting is only the beginning of the process for people who have experienced trafficking. “Supporting trafficked survivors is a long a continuum,” Gilbert said. “First, people have to report, they have to reach out. They have to ask for the supports.” Gilbert said those supports can include mental health and crisis intervention services, housing, income assistance and education. She said people may not come forward because they don’t recognize what is happening to them, are afraid of threats or violence, or simply don’t know where to turn for help. “We only ever touch, really, the tip of the iceberg of what’s happening,” Gilbert explained. Gilbert also welcomed the focus on labour trafficking, saying exploitation can occur across different industries and is not limited to one particular sector. The campaign’s visibility on public transit is intended to give people multiple opportunities to find help, Gilbert said. “There’s no one silver bullet that’s going to erase this,” she said. “It requires multiple different methods, multiple different services.” Gilbert said she believes trafficking may be getting worse, pointing to increased social media use and vulnerabilities associated with homelessness, addictions and poverty. Andrew Dowie, the MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, said governments and communities cannot remain silent about trafficking. “We know that these are family members, friends, and people we grew up with who fall into the wrong path,” Dowie said. He said helping victims recover and regain economic and financial independence is an important part of addressing trafficking. Kerzner said the Ontario government is continuing to provide funding to police and victim services agencies while also working on legislation and regulations intended to hold traffickers accountable. He said the Windsor campaign is notable for bringing together police, government and community organizations. “What makes this unique to the Windsor and Essex area is that it’s an all-out approach,” Kerzner said. Windsor police say the campaign was developed in consultation with Victim Services of Windsor & Essex County, the Windsor-Essex Counter Exploitation Network and Windsor & Essex County Crime Stoppers. Kerzner said the campaign ultimately depends on residents being willing to act when they see something concerning. “We are all in this together,” he said.
