Protect vulnerable individuals against sex-trafficking

The Ontario Native Women’s Association is calling upon the Ontario government to develop a provincial anti-trafficking strategy as Ontario has been identified as a hub for sex-trafficking. ONWA is also calling for increased research and funding to better understand the domestic and international sex trafficking of Indigenous women and girls in Ontario and beyond.

ONWA underscores the need for this research to occur within a gender and culture-based framework, and says that the provincial and national governments have an obligation to protect vulnerable individuals. Indigenous women and girls have repeatedly been identified as especially vulnerable.

Combating the trafficking of Indigenous women and girls requires prosecution, protection and prevention efforts that are culturally-responsive, collaborative and gender-specific. Efforts must address the root causes of the vulnerabilities, and empower Indigenous peoples. ONWA recently released a paper on the sex trafficking of Indigenous women and girls.