Human trafficking a reality in rural Ontario

By Pauline Kerr, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Walkerton Herald Times

The message delivered to the crowd at the Walkerton community centre on Wednesday, March 11 was clear – human trafficking is taking place in Bruce County, and local people are being hurt and victimized by it; the way to combat it is through education and enforcement, but even more, through public awareness.

This was the second of two townhalls on human trafficking, presented by South Bruce OPP in partnership with the Grey Bruce Community Safety and Well-Being Plan. The first took place in Kincardine the previous week. Various community groups were on hand to provide information and support – including comfort from four-legged friends – Therapy Dogs. 

Moderator Alexis Cook introduced the presenters including OPP Detective Constable Melissa Barfoot, Melanie Knight of Bridging Gaps, and Katriona MacLeod of Rising Angels. 

First to speak was Barfoot, who has been delivering human trafficking awareness presentations throughout the Grey-Bruce area for more than 15 years. She’s been commended for her dedication to this important work, and for her depth of knowledge and the insight she shares with the community. 

She began by telling the crowd about the incident in 2010 that opened her eyes to what was happening regarding human trafficking. It started as a simple traffic stop. But something about it didn’t feel right – and to an experienced officer like Barfoot, when something doesn’t feel right, it likely isn’t. 

There was a male driver and no one in the front passenger seat. Sitting in the back was another male and a young girl. It turned out to be human trafficking – the kind that involves sexual exploitation. 

Barfoot told the crowd that Grey-Bruce has a lot of factors that go hand-in-hand with rural human trafficking – isolation, high substance abuse and housing insecurity. We have hotels and highways. And we’re only two hours from the city.

In that case in 2010, all the red flags were there, Barfoot said, and she still wonders how many other similar incidents there were where she missed the indicators – the young girl with two older males who do all the speaking for her; from outside the area; the girl may be dressed inappropriately for the weather. 

There may be other crimes involved – Barfoot said drugs, guns and human trafficking go hand-in-hand, a fact that was made very clear in the presentations that followed. 

“The accused can also be a victim,” said Barfoot, who spoke of runaway kids and other marginalized people being at risk for exploitation, although anyone can be a victim, including people from prosperous, good families.  

However, kids who’ve been in trouble with the law are targets because they don’t trust police and won’t go to them for help. Another red flag Barfoot discussed was nobody wants to talk to police including the suspected trafficker and victim. Getting victims to tell their story doesn’t happen quickly or easily, Barfoot said. 

She spoke of how victims are first recruited, then isolated, and then controlled. The generous friend (male or female) soon becomes the pimp who terrorizes them and controls everything, including what they are allowed to eat, when they can sleep, what they wear, what drugs they take and what they need to do to survive. Signs to watch out for are kids skipping school, showing up with new jewelry and clothing, and having unexplained cash. 

There are others – tattoos, branding, signs of paranoia, and malnourishment. Barfoot pointed out a statement that explains human trafficking. “Traffickers are preying on victims because we are paying for sex.” Barfoot urged members of the community to report things that don’t seem right – for example, suspicious vehicles. She joked that farmers know everything – what vehicles belong, and what vehicles don’t. She really wasn’t joking. 

“Any call for service can be human trafficking,” she said – drug offences, sexual assault, a motor vehicle collision, domestic violence, fire, an overdose. “Community engagement is everything.” 

She closed by giving the national human trafficking hotline phone number – 1-833-900-1010. 

The other two speakers provided the lived experiences that made Barfoot’s information hit home, and hard. Although their stories were very different, there were heartbreaking similarities – family backgrounds that included sexual abuse, violence that becomes normalized at an early age, sexual exploitation over many years often from people they trusted, and finally, helping others that are in the same situation they once were. 

As the crowd listened to their stories – honest and riveting – the silence in the room was complete. The conversations that took place following the presentations, and continue to take place, will hopefully continue that honesty.  

Moving forward 

Brockton Mayor Chris Peabody thanked the presenters. “It’s important that we hear these stories,” he said. 

He expressed the hope they’ll lead to change, including in legislation. He thanked all the OPP officers present, in particular, Barfoot; Cook; and the people from Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey. 

“Share the information,” said Cook. In later conversation, Peabody spoke of changes that are occurring in Grey-Bruce. He noted that according to police, hotels and motels are no longer the preference of human traffickers. It’s now short-term rentals. 

“People renting out their properties need to be aware,” he said. The mayor added, “Best practice would be a short-term rental registry, so the police know.” 

He commented that some municipalities already have something similar, for tax purposes. He himself is looking at it as a source of information for police.

 “The problem is horrible,” he said. “If this small thing can assist …”