Human Trafficking in Canada
Human trafficking is described as the kidnapping or enticement of people, particularly girls and women, within their home nations or over international borders to work as sex traders or in forced labor employment (Di Nicola, Cauduro, Lombardi, & Ruspini, 2009). Canada has risen to prominence as a source, transit point, and destination for children, women, and adults who have been recruited or seized for forced labor or sex trafficking. Similarly, sex trafficking occurs within Canada's borders for boys, girls, and women. Girls in the child welfare system and women in the Aboriginal society are the most vulnerable populations.Likewise, women with foreign nationalities, mainly from Eastern Europe and Asia, are subjects of sex trafficking within the Canadian soils (Masci, 2004). The paper will, therefore, discover why Canada is a destination country for human trafficking.
Canada as a Destination for Human Trafficking
There are numerous reasons why Canada remains to be a destination for human trafficking in the world. Nowadays, the police have created an enabling environment for sex workers in Canada to conduct their business. The police have accomplished it by prioritizing the provision of safety to the sex trade workers. It was in response to the immense psychological and physical abuse meted out on the human trafficked sex workers in Canada. Likewise, the police efforts have been augmented by the volunteering groups and social workers with the aim to offer protection to those involved in sex trade and take them away from the cruel life in the streets. Such actions have served to create conducive environment for the thriving of prostitution and sex trafficking (Lederer & Wetzel, 2014).
Decriminalization of Prostitution in Canada
In addition, Canada is for the decriminalization of prostitution, which encourages a creation of a haven for sex trafficked individuals. The proponents of the push for the legalization of sex work such as the Canadian Women's Health Network argue that this move would lead to the improvement of the wellbeing and health of sex workers. Further, they also postulate that legalization of commercial sex would also reduce the risk of becoming infected with sexually transmitted diseases. The argument suggests that permitting sex work in law would also reduce the chances of exposure to violence against women on the streets by their clients (Cho, Dreher, & Neumayer, 2013). For that reason, human trafficking even continues to increase, because the conditions are ripe for the industry.
Tourism and Human Trafficking
Into the bargain, Canada is a source country for people who travel as tourists abroad and are engrossed in the sexual encounter with children. There has also been massive exploitation of trafficking victims from Canada, whose destination has been the United States. Therefore, being a leader in tourism has also contributed to Canada earning the reputation of being involved in human trafficking, even when it is playing the role of a source, and not a destination for victims of human trafficking (Danailova-Trainor & Laczko, 2010). It would have an effect of further attracting human trafficking agencies to bring more sex workers and forced labor individuals into Canada.
Availability of Casual Jobs
Another reason that makes Canada a destination point for human trafficking is the availability of casual jobs in the factories, farms, restaurants, food processing plants, domestic work, and the construction sectors. Therefore, the procuring agencies find it easy to lure women and children from the economically disadvantaged countries into Canada with the promise of securing them a job opportunity. With the presence of such enticing prospects, many people end up in Canada as victims of forced labor. For instance, the province of Alberta in Canada is famous for having the highest number of forced labor immigrants, who arrived as unsuspecting victims of human trafficking (Gajic-Veljanoski & Stewart, 2007).
Conclusion
Canada must, therefore, do more and put measures in place to arrest and convict urgencies that facilitate human trafficking. These aspects have led the country to becoming a glam destination for human trafficking in the world. The state also needs to make significant efforts to change the trend of Canada being a destination for sex tourist from the United States. The booming sex tourism sector is a leading contributor to human trafficking.
References
Cho, S. Y., Dreher, A., & Neumayer, E. (2013). Does legalized prostitution increase human trafficking? World Development, 41, 67-82.
Danailova-Trainor, G., & Laczko, F. (2010). Trafficking in persons and development: Towards greater policy coherence. International Migration, 48(4), 38-83.
Di Nicola, A., Cauduro, A., Lombardi, M., & Ruspini, P. (Eds.). (2009). Prostitution and human trafficking: Focus on clients. New York, NY: Springer.
Gajic-Veljanoski, O., & Stewart, D. E. (2007). Women trafficked into prostitution: Determinants, human rights and health needs. Transcultural Psychiatry, 44(3), 338-358.
Lederer, L. J., & Wetzel, C. A. (2014). The health consequences of sex trafficking and their implications for identifying victims in healthcare facilities. Annals Health Law, 23, 61-91.
Masci, D. (2004). Human trafficking and slavery. CQ Researcher, 14(12), 273-296.
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