THE LIES VS. THE TRUTH

THE LIE | All women working in prostitution, strip clubs, escort agencies and sex massage parlours choose their profession for the lifestyle and money. They are living the “Pretty Woman” dream by setting their own terms of work and keeping all the money they earn.

THE TRUTH | There is evidence that some workers in the sex trade are trapped in modern sex slavery. They are lured by a boyfriend or recruiter posing as a friend or potential employer. Some are sold into the industry by their fathers, brothers or husbands. After recruitment, these women are trapped by drug addiction and debt bondage to a pimp, gang or sex trade ring.

THE LIE | Johns (sex trade consumers) are usually awkward, sex addicts that can’t find a girlfriend or date.

THE TRUTH | Many Johns are everyday men. He could be a student, a tradesman or the CEO of a company. He could be married, divorced, widowed, in a serious dating relationship or single. He may have a sex addiction, but he is almost always looking for a sense of power. He may believe he is either helping the girls or that he is not hurting anyone because both parties are consenting adults. A John can also be someonw looking for the “girlfriend experience”. He is often longing for help, but he doesn’t realize he needs it.

THE LIE | Human trafficking and prostitution are completely unrelated.

THE TRUTH | Prostitution in some cases is human trafficking. Varying degrees of sex slavery range from fear based bondage where a worker may have freedom to roam the streets, but is expected to return with profit to a pimp, to physical bondage in a brothel, where women and children have been transported away from their home and held in captivity in order to perform sex acts that profit a sex trade ring or pimp. In many cases, threats and acts of physical violence hold the women and children in a state of actual or perceived slavery.

THE LIE | Human trafficking happens to poor people or people with no education.

THE TRUTH | Although poverty is one of the biggest risk factors, anyone can become a victim of human trafficking. In fact, some victims are university-educated and others are professionals. North American women may be lured with the promise of fame or fortune with a career in modeling, acting, dancing or hosting in a gentlemen’s club — a far stretch from the eventual truth.

THE LIE | Human trafficking only happens in poor, undeveloped countries.

THE TRUTH | Human trafficking is an international and domestic problem. Women are lured into the illegal sex trade from within Canada and outside Canada. The illegal sex trade is very much alive and well in British Columbia, and throughout the rest of Canada.

THE LIE | Most victims of human trafficking want to go back to their own country/hometown.

THE TRUTH | Although some victims want to go home, research shows that 90% do not because of fears that they will not be socially/culturally accepted or that they might be re-trafficked.

THE LIE | Human trafficking must involve violence and confinement.

THE TRUTH | Although human trafficking can include both violence and confinement, it might be based solely on deceit, psychological manipulation and/or threats of violence.