February 22 is Human Trafficking awareness day in Canada

Canada has observed Human Trafficking Awareness Day on February 22 since 2021. Read our submission on where we think our government has gone wrong on the language used on this issue.

WHAT CANADIANS CAN DO RIGHT NOW

During this time in Canada, as our Parliament is prorogued, we should not sit idle but should continue to contact our elected officials to discuss the issues we want to see addressed in the next parliamentary session. Read our suggestions on what to advocate for.

U.S. STATE DEPT. TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT 2024

The U.S. State Department released its annual report on human trafficking worldwide for the year 2024. Read this comprehensive assessment of this abhorrent practice and what is being done to combat it.

Canada's national strategy to combat human trafficking

Canada's National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking must be updated. VCASE wrote to Minister of Public Safety, Dominic Leblanc, with our recommendations.

 As Canada is preparing a report before the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in October 2024, VCASE submitted a report to CEDAW outlining the ways that Canada can do better.

PRESS RELEASE PRIOR TO BC ELECTION

VCASE is calling on provincial party leaders to commit to enforcing the federal Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA) in order to better protect prostituted persons.

REPort of un special rapporteur

Reem Alsalem, United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, examines violence against women and girls as a form, cause and consequence of prostitution. 

"DEar john" - letters written by survivors of prostitution

The Avery Center and Defend Dignity have coordinated to publish "Dear John", a collection of letters written by survivors of prostitution to their former "Johns" (sex buyers) and also to themselves. This powerful collection displays the raw reality of prostitution and the resiliency of these courageous survivors who have graciously shared their stories.

TEDxSurrey Talk by alexandra ford

In this powerful talk, Alexandra Ford recounts her journey from an outspoken child advocate to a victim of sexual assault and sex trafficking. Central to her talk is the transformative impact of understanding consent.

press release in response to FEWO report on preventing trafficking

On February 29, 2024, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women released their report, "ACT NOW: PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN, GIRLS AND GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE IN CANADA" VCASE asks the Canadian government to reject the framing of the report that legitimizes prostitution. Read our press release responding to the report .

Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur

On January 31, 2024, the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights asked for input for the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls to the Human Rights Council.

Please read this very powerful and personal submission from VCASE.

Human trafficking trends in canada

Launched in May 2019, the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is a 24/7 nationwide service connecting victims/survivors with essential services. The Centre maintains a National Referral Directory with 900+ service providers, utilizing Hotline date to support victims/survivors and identify trends.

Trafficking In Persons Report from the U.S. Dept. of State

Human trafficking is an affront to our foundational values—that everyone is created equal and has the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It erodes our communities, weakens the rule of law, and undermines our national security. 

New OSCE report helps identify victims of human trafficking on sexual service websites

A new report mapping the online landscape of risks of trafficking in human beings on sexual services websites across the OSCE was launched by the Office of the Special Representative and Co-Ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day.

German politicians debate about nordic model to regulate prostitution

A room in a German brothel has five emergency buttons. Not just on the bed, but also on the sofa, on the bathtub, and on the sink. It is only an illustration of how unsafe prostitution is for women who work in the branch.

The brothel of europe

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said he would like to see further legal restrictions on sex work in Germany, adding that the sale of sex is "not acceptable" and shouldn't be "normalised."

Sex traffickers are using shell companies to launder illicit profits in Canada

New research sheds light on how hundreds of potentially illicit massage parlours hide their money and the vulnerable people they prey on

The children of pornhub

Why does Canada allow this company to profit off videos of exploitation and assault?

ENSURING THE PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND REPUTATION ON PLATFORMS SUCH AS PORNHUB

Report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

The Solution is Simple: Stop Sex Buying to Stop Sex Trafficking 

When most people think about ending sex trafficking and prostitution, they think of rescuing the abused individuals ensnarled in its trap. Rescuing those who have been prostituted is vitally important, but just as important is stopping it before it occurs by stopping those who buy sex.