YMCA program offers supports for victims of human trafficking
21-02-2025
It’s a problem hiding in plain sight. Often victims are groomed and lured, and they don’t know they’re in a bad situation until it’s too late.
That’s why, each February 22nd, Canada marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. It's a day to raise awareness about the problem of human trafficking, but to also let the public know what to watch out for and how they can help.
According to the Canadian Criminal Code, “human trafficking is defined as recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, concealing or harbouring a person, or exercising control direction or influence over the movements of a person, to exploit them or to assist in facilitating their exploitation.”
Perpetrators of human trafficking prey on the most vulnerable, using physical and emotional abuse to maintain control over the victim.
Would you be surprised to learn that:
- 90% of victims identify their trafficker as being an intimate partner, while 1 out of 4 are by friends who are also being trafficked.
- 12 if the average age for being lured
- 15 is the average age of being entrenched. Many report still living at home while being trafficked.
About Combatting Abuse and Sexual Exploitation (CASE)
At the YMCA, we support those who are at risk, involved in, or exiting human trafficking situations. Through our Combatting Abuse and Sexual Exploitation (CASE) program, we aim to ignite the potential in all of our clients by providing free, non-judgmental, and confidential support to all ages and demographics.
“The work that CASE does is incredibly important because it provides a lifeline for survivors, offering crucial resources like safety, comfort, and a sense of belonging. We work together to build self-confidence and autonomy and empower them to rebuild their lives and regain their independence,” says a YMCA CASE worker.
In 2021 CASE had an average referral age of 23, in 2022 the average referral age dropped to 16, and in 2024 it fell to 15.
Over the last five years, our team has worked with 40 clients who are connected to Elementary schools in Hamilton, and 150 clients who are connected to Secondary schools in the area.
“Through statistics we know that youth who are trafficked have had some sort of involvement in the child welfare system either past or current, and as someone who grew up in the foster care system this hits close to home,” says a YMCA CASE youth worker. “Having this experience helps me connect with the youth we work with, and being able to give back has always been something I’ve wanted to do.”
A YMCA support worker can:
- Be an advocate and ally
- Help assess needs and service supports
- Accompany to appointments
- Ensure continued safety and reviews safety plan
- Offer victim-centered and trauma-informed approaches
- Support with police and court interactions if someone wishes to disclose to the police.
- Coordinate with police/victim services/victim witness assistances programs (VWAP) and the Crown to ensure the clients rights and voices are heard.
“We always strive to meet people where they are. Whether we are providing education and doing prevention work, assisting someone in leaving their trafficker, or healing from past exploitation, we are able to support individuals every step of the way.”
Help from CASE doesn’t end when a person is able to exit a trafficking situation, many clients remain within our support system for years as they learn who they are and rediscover their innate potential to thrive. It’s one of the reasons our support workers are who they are—they have a passion for this work and feel a responsibility to those who are struggling.
“I am drawn to this work by a deep sense of empathy and a strong desire to advocate for those who have been exploited and marginalized, driven by the belief that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the opportunity to heal from trauma,” says a YMCA CASE worker.
“Being able to help people in these situations is both humbling and deeply rewarding, knowing that I am making a tangible difference in their journey toward healing and safety, and it fills me with a sense of purpose and hope.”
A CASE youth worker says they feel lucky to be able to do this work, "it makes me feel deeply grateful to be in a position to support people during such a vulnerable time in their lives. This work can be emotionally taxing, but seeing the resilience and strength of the youth we help brings a sense of hope.”
How You Can Help
The best thing you can do when you suspect a person is at risk, involved in, or exiting a human trafficking situation is to be there for them without judgement. These individuals are in a very vulnerable position and it’s important that they feel safe. Here are some tips on how you can positively interact with someone who needs help and guidance.
- Engage with young people. Ask them for input and feedback, explore hesitations and motivations
- Work with them to continuously explore opportunities to regain control over their life through the choices they make
- Focus on ‘rights and responsibilities’, rather than ‘rules and regulations’
- Identify how you will engage together and what you can expect of each other
- Identify how you will go about working through difficulties and disagreements together
#TheYSavesLives #IgnitePotential #ShineOn #EndHumanTrafficking
CASE provides essential support to victims of trafficking as they make their way along the path to recovery and healing.
