Survivors of human trafficking must be the focus as police, government officials and community organizations look to stamp out the “horrific crime” that’s become more prevalent in Ontario and across Canada in recent years, one of Peel’s top cops told a Mississauga conference last week.
A number of survivors were among more than 400 people who attended the two-day Provincial Human Trafficking Symposium held Wednesday and Thursday at the Mississauga Grand Banquet & Event Centre.
People who’ve survived human trafficking experiences, which includes sex trafficking, are “where we need to direct our attention,” Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich told those in attendance.
He said many suggestions and recommendations from dozens of community organizations at the conference were geared towards making things better for survivors of various human trafficking-related crimes.
Furthermore, added Milinovich, it’s “incredibly important” to listen to those who’ve come through such traumatizing experiences when they tell police and their government representatives that the justice system, particularly bail reform, needs to be improved.
Human trafficking is an ongoing concern for police, lawmakers and others impacted by the crime in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area and across the province and country.
Early last week, Peel police released information about an alleged human trafficking operation they say exploited young girls aged 11 to 14 in the sex trade across the GTA.
Three men and a 15-year-old youth face numerous charges in relation to that investigation, which police say they launched in January 2024.
Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich told the conference that survivors of human trafficking must be a priority.
In addressing the conference, Milinovich pointed to that investigation, noting in particular the young age of the victims, saying “that’s what human trafficking looks and feels like.”
The deputy chief added that’s why events such as the two-day symposium, in addition to work done by various community groups and police investigators, are so important “towards protecting our community.”
Solicitor General of Ontario Michael Kerzner and Canadian Secretary of State (Combatting Crime) Ruby Sahota were among other officials who attended the conference, which was staged under the banner “Strengthening Ontario’s response to human trafficking.”
The event was hosted by Victim Services of Peel and Peel Regional Police.
The summit brought together “survivors, victim services providers, police leaders, justice and social service partners, and policymakers from across Ontario to explore leading and promising practices, expand professional networks and strengthen coordinated efforts to disrupt human trafficking,” Peel police said, adding, “our ongoing human trafficking investigations continue to show why coordinated action is essential to protecting survivors and ensuring they have the stability they need to rebuild their lives. We remain committed to expanding the care and partnerships that make this work possible.”
Several days prior to the Mississauga conference, Kerzner and other provincial government officials released a statement to mark Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
It read, in part: “Human trafficking is a horrific crime that targets our most vulnerable, violates victims’ most basic human rights and has a devastating impact on families and communities across Ontario.”
The statement from the provincial government also noted that “Ontario is taking action to support survivors and hold offenders accountable, through an historic investment of $345 million in our Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, the largest investment of its kind in Canada. We are taking a whole-of-government approach to end human trafficking in Ontario.”
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