Statistics Canada Article on Human Trafficking

The Statistics Canada publication The Daily recently published an article on Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2023:

"In 2023, 570 human trafficking incidents were reported to police, a slight decrease from the 597 reported in 2022. There was also a decrease in the rate of human trafficking (1.4 incidents per 100,000 population in 2023 compared with 1.5 in 2022)."

"Human trafficking, also referred to as trafficking in persons, is a serious human rights violation that can occur domestically and transnationally with the crossing of international borders. It is a gendered crime, with most detected victims being women and girls and the majority of accused persons being men and boys. Human trafficking offences involve the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of a person, and they include controlling and influencing movements with the goal of exploiting, or facilitating the exploitation of, a person. Human trafficking can take on many forms, most often sexual exploitation or forced labour."

"Official statistics, while important, provide only a partial picture of human trafficking in Canada due to its hidden and underreported nature. Identifying incidents of human trafficking depends in part on police resources and expertise, as well as victims' ability to recognize and report their experiences with trafficking."

Among the highlights:

• Rates of human trafficking in Nova Scotia and Ontario are higher than national average
• A large majority of police-reported human trafficking incidents were reported in urban centres
• A vast majority of police-reported victims of human trafficking are women and girls and one quarter of victims are minors
• Men make up majority of accused adults, while an equal proportion of girls and boys are among youth accused
• Over half of human trafficking incidents are unsolved