Chantel recently attended Human Trafficking 101, presented by Neeru Muker, Program Facilitator with PLEA Community Services Society of BC. The session, It Can Happen to Anyone (ITCHA), was eye-opening and deeply informative, offering important insight into what child sexual exploitation can look like in Canada and how communities can help prevent it.
One of the key takeaways was that exploitation does not always look the way people expect. It does not always involve kidnapping, strangers, or crossing borders. In many cases, exploitation happens within our own communities, and the young person may know, trust, or even care about the person exploiting them.
When a child or youth under the age of 18 is manipulated, pressured, forced, or tricked into exchanging sexual acts for something in return—such as food, shelter, transportation, money, drugs, gifts, affection, protection, or a place to belong—it is child sexual exploitation. It is child abuse.
The statistics shared during the session were powerful. Most detected trafficking-related cases in Canada involve sexual exploitation, and the majority of victims are women and girls. We also learned that many victims know the person exploiting them. This person may be a romantic partner, friend, family member, peer, or trusted adult.
The presentation emphasized that traffickers and exploiters rarely fit the stereotypes we see in movies. They may use grooming, attention, gifts, promises of love, emotional control, or a sense of belonging to build trust before gradually increasing control. Exploitation often follows a pattern of luring, grooming, controlling, and exploiting.
A survivor story helped show how young people can be targeted when they are vulnerable, lonely, isolated, or looking for connection. It also reinforced that young people may stay in unsafe situations because of fear, trauma bonding, manipulation, shame, or a lack of safe alternatives
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Some warning signs that a child or youth may be experiencing exploitation can include sudden changes in behaviour, becoming isolated from family or friends, receiving unexplained gifts or money, increased secrecy, spending time with significantly older individuals or new peer groups, changes in school attendance, or a noticeable shift in confidence and emotional well-being.
The session also addressed online exploitation and sextortion. This can happen when someone threatens to share intimate images unless a young person sends more images, money, or gift cards. As technology becomes a bigger part of everyday life, education, open conversations, and trusted support are more important than ever.
Some young people may be at greater risk, including Indigenous girls and young women, LGBTQ2S+ youth, newcomers to Canada, youth experiencing homelessness, and those facing mental health challenges, social isolation, or instability at home. Understanding these risk factors helps communities recognize where more support, safety, and prevention efforts are needed.
Perhaps the most important message was that prevention starts with awareness. Recognizing changes, listening without judgment, and responding in a trauma-informed, victim-centred way can make a real difference. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is be a safe, trusted adult who listens, believes, and helps connect a young person to support.
Resources & Support
Help is available through the following organizations:
- Children of the Street Society / PLEA Community Services Society of BC
Prevention education, workshops, family support, early intervention, and referrals related to child sexual exploitation.
Phone: 604-777-7510
Toll-free: 1-877-551-6611
Email: info@childrenofthestreet.com
Workshop / early intervention email: childrenofthestreet@plea.bc.ca
Website: ChildrenOfTheStreet.com - PLEA Onyx Program
One-on-one support for youth who are in unsafe, high-risk, or exploitative situations.
Toll-free: 1-877-411-7532
Crisis intake: 604-360-9805
Email: onyx@plea.bc.ca
Website: PLEA.ca - Cybertip.ca
Canada’s national tipline for reporting online child sexual exploitation, including online luring, sextortion, and child sexual abuse material.
Report online: Cybertip.ca
Immediate danger: Call 911 or local police. - NeedHelpNow.ca
Support for youth who are worried an intimate image or video has been shared online, or may be shared.
Contact form: NeedHelpNow.ca/contact
Immediate support: Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868
Text support: Text CONNECT to 686868 - YouthInBC.com
Free, confidential support for youth in BC who need someone to talk to.
Website: YouthInBC.com
BC Mental Health & Crisis Response: 310-6789, no area code needed
Available: 24 hours a day - Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
Confidential support and referrals for victims, survivors, service providers, and anyone concerned about possible trafficking or exploitation.
Phone: 1-833-900-1010
Available: 24/7, in more than 200 languages
Chat: Available through the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline website
Child sexual exploitation is happening in communities across Canada. By learning the warning signs, having open conversations, supporting prevention efforts, and knowing where to turn for help, we can all play a role in protecting children and youth and helping survivors access the support they need. Awareness is one of our strongest tools for prevention.