Sudbury police aim to help victims of human trafficking

Sudbury Police recently participated in a nation-wide blitz focusing on human trafficking.

Deputy Chief Al Lekun said the national project involved 26 different police services and more than 330 young women were interviewed — some as young as 15 years of age.

Lekun said no charges were laid in the Sudbury area, but police did speak with six women who were identified as active sex trade workers or escorts.

"And none of them were willing to provide to us that they were involved in human trafficking aspect of it or being coerced or forced into it,” he said.

“But it [allowed] us to identify additional individuals in this community that are involved in the sex trade and provide access to services for them."

Lekun said police often don't focus on laying charges when it comes to dealing with the sex trade — police instead try to develop a relationship of trust with the people involved, and offer them access to resources.

Sudbury police report sex slavery — called human trafficking under the Criminal Code — is a growing trend in Canada, and has become a multi-jurisdictional problem for police agencies across the country.

The nation-wide blitz, known as "Operation Northern Spotlight," involved targeting hotels and motels in 30 major cities.

Officers said they found that some were being moved from city to city, and forced to perform sexual acts for money.