Stats & Facts

Victims who are bought and sold in Edmonton are most often marginalized populations.

This includes First Nations, newcomers, abuse survivors and vulnerable young girls and boys.

There is a misconception that individuals engaging in sex work want to be involved, and have chosen to do so. Many individuals are forced into this work however, or feel as if they have no other choice than to engage in sex acts to survive.

Cultural mythology about the sex trade is built on misinformation and fantasies of sexuality that are circulated through movies, television, videotapes and printed material, including pornography.

Definitions

  • Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

    Source: UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse

  • Involves the recruitment, transportation, harbouring and/or exercising control, direction or influence over the movements of a person in order to exploit that person, typically through sexual exploitation or forced labour. It is often described as a modern form of slavery.

    Source: Public Safety Canada

  • Any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, unwanted sexual comments or advances, acts to traffick a person or acts directed against a person’s sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim, in any setting. It occurs in times of peace and armed conflict situations, is widespread and is considered to be one of the most traumatic, pervasive, and most common human rights violations.

    Source: Wikipedia

  • The exchange of sexual services, performances, or products for material compensation. It includes activities of direct physical contact between buyers and sellers, as well as indirect sexual stimulation. The term emphasizes the labour and economic implications of this type of work.

    Source: Wikipedia

  • The work of a prostitute: the act of having sex in exchange for money; the use of a skill or ability that is not appropriate or respectable; the state of being prostituted; debasement

    Source: Miriam Webster Online Dictionary

  • The common lewdness of a woman for gain. In all well regulated communities this has been considered a heinous offence, for which the woman may be punished, and the keeper of a house of prostitution may be indicted for keeping a common nuisance.

    Source: A Law Dictionary, by John Bouvier. Published 1856

Over 75%

of people working in the sex trade began working as a child.

Source: Susan McIntyre, PhD

Close to 70%

of males had a history of being sexually violated prior to their street involvement.

Source: “Under the Radar.” Susan McIntyre, PhD.

12-14

is the age range when child and teen sex trafficking often starts.

Source: Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, MS, LPC – 2013

$280,000 annually per woman or girl

Sex traffickers in Canada can receive an annual financial gain of $280,000 for each woman or girl they have trafficked and sexually exploited.

Source: “Organized Crime and Domestic Trafficking in Persons in Canada.” Organized Intelligence Service Canada, 2010.

People who purchase sex are typically aged 26-35

Sex consumers are on average, between the ages of 26-35, Canadian born, married or common law, and have children.

Source: “Prostitution Offender Program: Offender Survey Report.” CEASE, 2010.

>20% of activity is street-based

Although street-based sex activities are the most visible manifestations and a large focus of police and judicial resources, it is estimated to account for at most, 20% of prostitution activities in Canada.

Source: “Decriminalizing Sex work(ers): law reform to protect health and human rights.” Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, 2005.

Reporting

Report sexual exploitation when you see it happen

If you know a child who is involved in sexual exploitation, call the Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a person is a victim of sexual exploitation, contact the Edmonton Police Service (EPS)