Statement from the Chief Advisor to Combat Human Trafficking on Human Trafficking Awareness Day
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is a moment to pause, to listen, and to confront a difficult truth: human trafficking is not rare, and it is not just happening somewhere else. It is happening in our communities, affecting people of all ages, and it continues because vulnerability is exploited and harm is too often misunderstood.
Globally, and here in Canada, human trafficking is increasing. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports a 25% rise in detected trafficking victims worldwide, with children now accounting for nearly 40% of identified victims. Women and girls remain disproportionately affected, particularly through sexual exploitation. Forced labour and forced criminality are also increasing in wealthy countries like Canada and low‑income countries. These trends reflect growing instability, economic insecurity, and the deliberate targeting of people who are vulnerable through no fault of their own.
In Canada, national data suggest that trafficking is overwhelmingly domestic and gendered. Ninety‑three percent of identified victims are women and girls, most under the age of twenty-five. The vast majority are trafficked by what is often described as “someone they know,” such as an intimate partner or acquaintance. How we communicate this fact matters. Much of the public messaging Canadians hear or read implies familiarity or consent, even when that is not the reality. The framing of human trafficking in this manner is both misleading and harmful and can leave the public with the false impression that victims made poor personal choices, or that the harm could have been avoided if they had chosen their partners or friends differently.
On this National Day of Awareness, let us educate our communities about what actually happens. Most often, victims do not “know” their traffickers in any meaningful sense, most often do not even know their real names. These so‑called relationships are manufactured entirely through lies and manipulation to facilitate the crime. Traffickers deliberately pose as boyfriends, friends, or protectors to build false trust, isolate victims, and maintain control. Framing traffickers as someone a victim “knew” risks obscuring the criminal deception at the heart of this offence and can unfairly shift responsibility onto those who are targeted and controlled.
Human trafficking is driven by extremely high profits in both sex and labour trafficking. The International Labour Organization estimates that 27.6 million people worldwide are being trafficked, which generates an estimated US $150 billion in illegal profits annually. According to Canada’s 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in CanadaFootnote 1, human trafficking contributes significantly to illicit proceeds linked to organized crime. Traffickers continue to exploit people both for labour and sex because it generates billions of dollars and there is minimal risk of being held accountable for their crimes. Any sincere effort to end trafficking must address not only vulnerability, but also the demand and the systems that allow exploitation to remain lucrative.
Canada’s National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking recognizes that awareness alone is not enough. Built on prevention, protection, prosecution, partnerships, and empowerment, it emphasizes Survivor‑informed approaches and shared responsibility across governments, communities, and sectors. Survivors and frontline organizations have been clear: effective responses must prioritize early prevention, youth protection, accountability for those who cause harm, and long‑term support that allow people to rebuild their lives.
On this Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we must strengthen both our language and our actions. Awareness should be accurate, purposeful, and free of narratives that obscure the reality of exploitation. Our focus must remain on elevating Survivor-led expertise, correcting harmful misconceptions, and promoting clear, practical understanding. As with the shift in how society speaks about child sexual and abuse material, we must continue improving how we educate and communicate about human trafficking. Effective awareness is not the goal itself – it is a catalyst for meaningful change.
Ending human trafficking is not inevitable but it is a choice. A choice that requires governments, businesses, communities, and people to act with clarity, courage, and a collective commitment to protecting human dignity.
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