“We need to find our voices and say, ‘NO MORE.’”
Report from the National Experiential Women’s Roundtable December 5 & 6, 2013
Note:
The contents of this report may disturb or upset some• readers. (But isn’t that the first step to action?) This report summarizes the discussions at the National Experiential Women’s Roundtable, hosted on December 5th and 6th, 2013 by the Canadian Women’s Foundation Task Force on Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada.
The Task Force is committed to respecting the privacy and security of the roundtable’s 20 experiential participants. We are therefore not publishing their names. However, we want to acknowledge the significant contribution each of them has made to the Task Force’s work, and thank them for sharing their experience and expertise.
Task Force members at the roundtable: Margot Franssen (Co-Chair), Sheila O’Brien (Co-Chair), Elder Mae Louise Campbell, Dr. Marie Delorme, Taunya Goguen, Pytor Hodgson, Lanna Many Grey Horses, Laurie MacKenzie, Mary Mowbray, Timea Nagy, Kim Pate, Kate Quinn
Canadian Women’s Foundation staff at the roundtable: Mina Mawani, Maureen Adams, Sandra Diaz, Diane Redsky, Barb Gosse, Belinda McIvor, Deborah Sinclair, Joy Connelly
Lead facilitators: Pytor Hodgson and Dale Pearson, Three Things Consulting
Small circle facilitators: Lynzii Taibossigai, Zoey (Pricelys) Roy, Claire Bodkin, Jolene Stowell
Interpreters: Ariane Vinet-Bonin and Laurence Fortin-Pellerin
Support to the roundtable participants: Elder Mae Louise Campbell and her daughter Jamie Goulet, Pytor Hodgson, Sandra Diaz, Deborah Sinclair, Diane Redsky
Special thanks to the Task Force Ambassadors and organizations who helped support the women coming to the roundtable.
Report compiled and written by Joy Connelly
Canadian Women’s Foundation, 133 Richmond St. W Suite 504, Toronto ON M5H 2L3 (416) 365-1444 | 1-866-293-4483 | www.canadianwomen.org/trafficking
2 Twenty voices On December 5th and 6th, 2013, women from across the country gathered to learn directly from the experience of “I feel as if I’ve been run over by a train a few times. women who were trafficked into and within Canada. The findings of this roundtable will inform the recommendations Suddenly I feel a very heavy of the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s Task Force on Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada. responsibility as a member of this Task Force to do The voices: The forum: At the end of the day, the Task Force something profound, where Twenty women from across Canada — all The roundtable was designed to create a members and staff formed an inner circle we give voice and life to the trafficked as girls. They come from, or are safe, supportive environment where each to describe what they had learned, while horror of this. It’s one thing participants formed a listening outer circle. now living in, Vancouver, Surrey, Edmonton, participant’s expertise was valued, honoured to talk in the abstract, but Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, a small First and respected. The roundtable ended with all participants Nations community, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, offering concluding comments, and joining to be in the room with these Manitoulin, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Participants gathered on December 5th with a in an honour song and traditional Aboriginal brave women makes this Montreal, Mexico, Nigeria and Hungary. pipe and smudge ceremony and introductory friendship dance. responsibility seem very, very exercises. Participants also made the flags All the participants are now adults. All are on depicted throughout this report. heavy — but I’m glad we all a healing journey that began at least three The report: have it.” Each sharing circle was assigned a Canadian years ago, and in some cases twenty years ago On December 6th, participants broke into Women’s Foundation staff member to Margot Franssen or more. Many are now working to support four supported sharing circles. In three record the discussion as close to verbatim as Task Force Co-Chair and advocate for girls and women who are sequential sessions, participants described possible. These notes, edited for brevity and still being trafficked and sexually exploited. their experiences with exploitation and to protect anonymity, form the contents of their recommendations for system change. this report. The listeners: Task Force members and Foundation staff “It takes so much [to help], created an outer circle for each of these small Members of the Task Force on Trafficking of The Canadian Women’s Foundation and it takes so little – perhaps groups to listen and “have the backs” of the Women and Girls in Canada, and Canadian recognizes that 20 pages of quotes cannot just the intervention of one Women’s Foundation staff. participants. do justice to a lifetime’s experience. But they person. What does so much can open our eyes to what is happening in our country and tell us, in the words of women look like? And what does One eagle, 52 feathers with direct knowledge, how we can move so little look like? That’s our One participant brought 52 feathers from a single eagle to give to participants at forward. challenge.” the roundtable. For many Aboriginal peoples, the eagle signifies vision, strength Sheila O’Brien and courage. To receive an eagle’s feather is to receive the highest sign of respect. The Task Force and Foundation staff left the roundtable with a deep sense of Task Force Co-Chair In a moving ceremony, participants came forward one by one to choose a feather responsibility to the women who shared to take home. All participants felt deeply honoured by this unexpected gift, and their expertise with us. Their words will make many found it one of the most powerful and unifying moments of the roundtable. disturbing reading for many: they disturbed us. 3 “If I wasn’t strong, I would have died.” The experience of exploitation The experience of exploitation
he roundtable was formed Girlhood “The first time I was sexually abused I was “I was in a cookie cutter, middle class home.” Tchiefly to gain expert advice for five. If they had done something then, the Task Force’s recommendations Many participants described instead of blaming and shaming me, I would “I was recruited out of child welfare. I had on sex trafficking and sexual painful childhoods filled with have known I had value. They said I seduced been adopted and things were not going well him. But a five-year old child cannot seduce. so I was put into ‘care.’ I was sexually abused exploitation in Canada. During the abuse and loss. Others had happy The church knew. They prayed for my family at the age of eight. I am native and no one day’s discussions, however, many girlhoods before they were for adopting such a difficult child.” liked natives where I lived in Thunder Bay, so participants shared their own trafficked. These quotes illustrate I hid my identity. I was 11 years old when this experiences that preceded and the range of experiences. “I was a runaway from a very dysfunctional happened and I was first exploited at age 12.” followed their exploitation. family with an abusive, alcoholic, violent father. I saw him rape my mother on many “You hear so often that girls at risk come “ I have really good parents who are still occasions. People were exchanging sexual from the projects or broken homes . . . Lots These stories provide a context together. I had a family with good morals, partners and I saw a lot of this in front of of kids are from affluent areas. They’re just for participants’ recommendations and I always knew I was loved and that I my eyes. My father told me I would amount forgotten.” for system change, and deepened belonged. It can happen to anyone from any to nothing. I left home at 13 and a half years the Task Force’s understanding of kind of family.” of age. I had nowhere to go, no job and no sexual exploitation and trafficking’s contacts, so I ended up dancing in a club. I was first exploited at 13 and a half.” impact on the lives of girls and women.
4 Girlhood Alone at 13 THe beginning of Trafficked Unable to exit Finally exiting exploitation “Love. Family. Belonging. I did not know what “For me it was an escape from an abusive Alone at 13 was missing. I felt I wasn’t wanted so I left . THe beginning of household. I was 13. He was in his 30s. It Participants were asked whether . . My spirit was hurting, and running away exploitation was just an escape.” anything helped to slow down was a survival instinct. No one took the time When they first hear about their trafficking, or almost to listen.” trafficking, many people ask, “When I was first trafficked I was in a room with a bunch of girls and we had to take prevented them from being “I was in ‘care.’ I think the group home “How can this happen?” This is our clothes off and they decided how much trafficked. The answer from workers knew — they absolutely knew — but how it happened for participants. we were worth. I thought I was going to be almost all participants was, “No.” they let it be my choice. I was apprehended a model. I was then taken to Calgary and Most described the experience [by child welfare] when I was 12. I was forced and watched.” trafficked around my 13th birthday.” “When I was in high school I had my first of being entirely alone, with contact with the pimps. My parents had no no-one they felt they could turn idea – they were clueless. If I had known I to, or no-one who would believe “No-one would listen to the abuse in our may have stayed away from the mall and them. house, so why would they listen to what told my mom what was happening. Every Trafficked was happening now? Teachers and doctors teenager has things they don’t like about Participants were not asked missed the cues during the first 13 years of their parents. [My exploiters] found out directly about the experience Of the participants who named my life. Why would they listen now?” what was tough about my life. They learned when they were first trafficked, about my parents, my siblings and my of being trafficked, but during the age ranged from 12 – 16, with “Sex should be something sacred — school. They put it all together and used it. the course of the day some something you hold special to yourself. I They told me how beautiful I was and they chose to reveal stories from that 13 the most common age. believed that until I was raped. I didn’t know manipulated me. They are so good at it. . . . where to go. I told myself it didn’t happen. I A lot of women are sent out to get girls for period in their lives. We include just woke up and it was happening.” the men. Sometimes they put girls that are these excerpts to help readers entrenched in group homes with girls that understand the impact of this are at risk. The entrenched girls talk about experience. how great their life is and how much money they have and make it look so glamorous.”
“My first sexual experience was bending “I was raped at 16 by a gang. Six of them over a computer with some man asking me raped me all night. I have lost all faith in to do sexual things. I was never taught what men. They took away my power to have love was supposed to look like. By 13 when sexual pleasure. I was raped by many I met my pimp, the stage was set. It was johns. The more they saw my vulnerability, easy. On all fronts there was a total lack of the more they raped me and were more support from those around me.” violent.”
Rebuilding lives The long Working for Growing old The next The wished- 5 aftermath change generation for life The experience of exploitation...
“They beat me so badly. They used sticks in criminal world that I shouldn’t have seen. I side of me, and put a hot curling iron, hot changed my name. Changed everything. I peppers and broken glass in my vagina. I was always afraid they would recognize me was in pain. I was bleeding.” and shoot me. I let myself become larger. I cut my hair. But I was alone. I didn’t have a “I was beaten and held in a hotel for 14 place. I had no more family. Nothing.” weeks. People watched as six large men dragged me down the street, and then “I hit bottom. I was 75 pounds and suffering turned their heads away. The cops laughed a total body breakdown and a severe drug at me. The traffickers lit my parents’ house addiction. There was a contract on my life on fire and my mom almost died.” from the gang. A john and drug dealer told me about the contract on my life and told “They always talked about killing me — me to run away. I ran home to my family.” killing me, my sister or my dog. I was now becoming a huge liability to them. I was “We are faced with discrimination by service “Rage pushed me out – I hated clients, men, getting drunk and getting high and they providers. They don’t want to work with Finally exiting myself. . . . They stole everything from me. were talking about killing me, and how my ‘ho’s,’ so we don’t say who we are and don’t All participants had been able The only thing they can’t take is my rage. parents would have to search for their get the help we need.” to exit exploitation. Some Fighting for change through my rage … it’s missing daughter.” described long journeys; others kept me alive.” “I got my validation from men through my johns and pimp. What a fucked up way to pointed to a catalytic moment “With the help of a translator, a security find love.” that enabled them to escape. guard and a DJ, they helped me get out. But Unable to exit Here are some examples. it could only happen because I was ready. “I didn’t want to change. It’s all I wanted to Even a month before, I wouldn’t go because Many people have asked do. Nobody could have made me change. . I was so scared. I fully believed they would trafficked women, “Why didn’t . My trafficker kept me away from people. “I thought my customers were my friends kill my mum.” you just leave?” Here’s why. I couldn’t talk to my sister or he would get until one asked if he could have sex with mad. I always had to be with him.” my daughter. She was two years old. I didn’t “I was surrounded by a community of women want my daughter to be exploited. My who selflessly loved me back to health.” “It was the $50,000 exit fee that stopped me “How could I leave? There was nowhere daughter was my gift – she saved my life.” from leaving. I knew they were always going to go.” “I thought I was going to die out there. to keep at me to pay the exit fee.” “For me [the catalyst to exit] was fear. I had I had no hope until I went to a camp and a lot of clients that were doing hard core saw women who were mentors, and “I was ashamed. . . . I used to think that with me. One was worse than the others. then they let me mentor. Without hope the only group who could accept me was The last time, I went to hospital because my there is nothing. If you get one person to organized crime. . . . I tried ten times to exit, shoulder was broken. This was the end. It give you a glimmer of hope, that can be but didn’t get out until I was 29 years old.” was too much. . . . I had seen things in the your future.”
6 Girlhood Alone at 13 THe beginning of Trafficked Unable to exit Finally exiting exploitation “I was pregnant and through it I was blessed. “I have a hard time putting these two things Rebuilding lives I gave up my daughter. She was raised by The long aftermath — my body and my brain — together. I don’t Many recommendations in the my aunt and uncle. She was told not to see For many Task Force members, know how to connect the two. It’s hard to following pages come from her mother because she was a junkie and the most poignant lesson from have a healthy sexual relationship. I have participants’ efforts to re-create a whore. I needed information, education, the roundtable was the lasting not learned how to connect my mind with knowledge, social justice and passion to my body yet. I am trying to learn how to be a life after trafficking. arm me for advocacy.” impact of exploitation. whole again – to connect my body with my brain and my soul. “ “I was in jail for a couple of years. My son “When you exit you stand alone.” “It’s one of the hardest things on the was in social services the whole time I was “You grow up hearing that sex is supposed recovery journey – realizing this is going to in jail. . . . I was charged with trafficking with to be between a man and woman in love. I “While you are being exploited the world be a journey for the rest of my life. I have my boyfriend. I pleaded guilty so my son never had that. I was sexually abused when evolves without you. You have to go back surrendered to the fact that I will constantly could visit and I would get him back. I went I was 5. I don’t understand the intimacy with into a new world when you exit, and you have triggers, I will have better days, . . . but to jail to get my child back.” sex. I disassociate myself. . . . I am married need new tools to do it.” it’s not going to end.” and I wish having sex was meaningful “My strength was I was a nerd. I crave the and loving, but it is just intercourse and “I needed to learn how to build a network – “I was tough out there. If I was raped I news. I got a job as a journalist, and now I’m it doesn’t have any value to it. I don’t how to do those normal things. I needed to thought it was part of life. Relationships and an advocate. I’m not polished but I can talk understand how to get there because my be taught what is actually normal.” having friends now are hard. Every little day like I am.” body has been used and violated by so things are hard. Even conversations with my many men.” “I was in the Downtown Eastside so I needed mom and dad are hard.” “When I was exiting, I just grabbed any run- to get right out of the area . . . My escape of-the-mill job. I didn’t know how to behave “It’s difficult to settle down. I have moved as a kid was sports, so I started running “Hotels are not a safe place to go even now in an office. . . . I discovered I enjoyed 51 times in 10 years. I used to live out of to cope with depression, trauma, and because of the memories.” “I was afraid to baking. I went to school and now I work in plastic bags. I didn’t know what it was to withdrawal. Thank you God for giving me come to [the conference centre] because I kitchens.” even pay rent. I was used to running. I was these legs to run, and this heart and lungs was afraid of being raped.” used to looking over my shoulder. I have to let me run. Running is cheaper than “We are fortunate in Winnipeg that we have challenges with uniforms – even bus drivers. therapy.” a college at Red River College for girls who I was nervous because of all of the brain have been trafficked and it includes a lot of washing.” help with the healing process. It’s the only program like that in Canada. . . . Without that opportunity I wouldn’t have gone any “Fighting for change through my rage further than a Grade 12.” – it’s kept me alive.”
Rebuilding lives The long Working for Growing old The next The wished- 7 aftermath change generation for life The experience of exploitation...
“You need something to keep you busy and occupied. When you stop doing things Working for you start thinking and it can come back to change you. It’s an easy industry to slip back into Participants’ many as an adult. . . . It’s a life long struggle. It’s recommendations for system something you never forget. It’s always in the back of your mind.” change are in the following pages. Here are some of the reasons “I self-sabotage. I’m more comfortable in participants were personally pain, because I know it so well. I’d like to have more happy days. . . . I wish so strongly motivated to act for change. “My legacy will be my tenacity… I was strong “First you’re the victim, and then you are the I could shut the voices off. I’m told, ‘You’re and they could not break me. I want to be survivor, and then you are the warrior and so articulate. You’re so amazing.’ But if you recognized for being a survivor — for being then you are the teacher. We need to move “I want to share, I want to make a difference, don’t believe it, it doesn’t count.” smart, for being a great mother. If I can save past the survivor stage, even though we I don’t want to die without having made a one little girl from a den of wolves, that will may still be surviving the feelings. . . . I want difference.” “To be able to sit in the uncomfortable place be my legacy.” people to know I am not a survivor. of happy! I know that I’m loved, that my I am a warrior. . . . Where is the action? “The pain we lived through is the basis for kids love me, and that I’m doing a good job “I want to be remembered for fighting for When is it taking place? I am ready to go up driving system change…. We also need to with them. But knowing and believing are what I believed in and that I was a helper to Parliament Hill.” work with the other women who haven’t two different things.” for others that followed me. I never thought been through this and want to help us.” the ‘ho/junkie’ label would leave my “I often think that nobody loves me — that forehead. The more you talk about it, the “If I wasn’t strong I would have died. It was I’m not enough this or that. I don’t have a more the dirt comes off.” that strength that helped me escape. All Growing old lot of friends and I think it’s because of that strength has helped me to keep sober Some women were anticipating what I am.” “I don’t ever want to be seen as a victim. I and to work with women in the Downtown am going to write a book about what led the challenges of growing Eastside to help them. I am burying clients “Every week I write a letter to myself to that up to it, where it started, how I got out, and older; others were already constantly, but I still stay strong. If you little girl inside of me, and I tell that little girl how I am a successful woman.” don’t keep moving forward you can move experiencing them. the things I am proud of in her. That helps back. I didn’t cry for 28 years. I was already bring my spirit back and I keep standing.” “I have been out for 16 years and never once resilient and strong, but now I’m ten times have I thought I am just going to give up. “We need to help young people. We need stronger.” It’s just not an option. It’s such a desire for to help children not to go where we went. change on a fundamental level. I think these But we also need to remember mature experiences are not just for nothing – there women of a ripe age. The child I once is a reason that this happened, you know!” was was stolen from me, and needs to be nurtured.”
8 Girlhood Alone at 13 THe beginning of Trafficked Unable to exit Finally exiting exploitation “There are no services for adult women. “There’s a common adoption theme. I wasn’t “I wished for another mother and a different Older women return to the street, even The next generation adopted but my mother was. I’m affected family. My mother said she should have after exiting for 10 or 15 years, because Many participants had children. by the way she was treated.” aborted me and my father said he should there isn’t enough support for a permanent Some were proud of their work have put me in a home for the mentally exit. People say, ‘She’s been out for 10 as mothers and proud of their “At eight years old, my daughter has a lot of retarded.” years, she’s good.’ But it’s not the case. It’s cousins that are missing. She asked, ‘When I not good for a long, long time.” children’s success. However, am 14 will I go missing or get killed?’ She has “Everything negative that happened to me some worried the impact of their three cousins that have disappeared and was because I was Native. I hated myself “They asked me, ‘What about a pardon?’ I own exploitation will carry over she hears about it and sees it. It’s sad my and I didn’t want to be an Indian.” said, ‘Give the pardon to a young girl. I’m into the next generation. daughter has to worry about that.” useless.’ They said, ‘Never say that.’ So I’m “One wish: to have heard the truth. To have getting a pardon, just for my dignity.” been loved, and that other women would “We need resources for our kids. They see have told me the real truth about ‘the life.’” “Create respectful palliative care, because a lot more than we want to admit. They go we don’t have it. Toward the end of their through a lot more than other kids in their The wished-for life “I wish I had not been surrendered and lives our women should be given the utmost peer groups.” Some participants spoke about moved from a supportive foster home into respect. Some of us don’t make it to senior child welfare.” citizens’ age. You turn 40, and they put the life they wished they had – “The floodgates opened when I had and the difference that would you in a seniors’ home. You end up there my daughter. Each time she reached a “I wish I could be happier. Having the past because of your lifestyle, and they don’t milestone – turned five and not molested. have made for them. we do, it makes it hard to be fully alive. So treat you well, believe me.” Turned 12 and not raped – I asked, ‘Why much of the essence of who we are gets wasn’t my mother there for me at that age?’ damaged. I want joy in being alive.” “Yes, it’s 20 years ago, but I still have Having a girl child, there is so much fear “I wanted to write, sing, dance, act. My problems with it. . . . Some people ask me that what happened to me could happen passions – I felt them at a young age. They to do things because they think I’m strong to her.” were shattered. The sexual parts of me enough, but I’m not always. Don’t forget us were taken away. My dreams were taken survivors.” “My son – you never thought you could love away. I wished for love, not rejection.” someone so much – doesn’t know he’s a product of my exploiter. He’s into trouble – guns and gangs and selling crack. I’ve been re-victimized by him. He’s my only boy. It “I wanted to write, was a real struggle, and he’s lost. He’s never known his biological father, but he’s so sing, dance, act.” much like his dad.”
Rebuilding lives The long Working for Growing old The next The wished- 9 aftermath change generation for life “Between rage and despair there is a place for action.”
ten canada-wide recommendations
articipants were asked to propose system 1 Say it: No-one chooses 2 Stop glamourizing Pchanges that could prevent trafficking, help girls and women escape exploitation, to be trafficked! exploitation or could help exploited women rebuild their “I came to a realization that all the years I was out there had “When you have guys on videos telling boys it’s cool having nothing to do with me. I had my choices taken away from six bitches working for them – this is a system that needs to lives. They came forward with dozens of me. I was able to get rid of my shame by realizing that. I was change.” recommendations. They have been grouped taken away from my family. I was introduced to drugs so it here into ten calls for Canada-wide change. would be easier to work and not have to feel anything. It was “Little boys are warped looking at warped images. How do Specific recommendations for service sector easier to stay high so I didn’t have to feel.” you bridge that and show them healthy relationships?” reforms are in the following section. “They think it’s the victim’s fault – they believe it’s a choice. “Prostitution is glamourized. It’s not Pretty Woman – that’s It’s a choice for a man to pay for that girl. From the first not real.” moment we are trafficked it’s ingrained in us that this is who we are and what we were meant to be. There is no choice.” “I don’t understand how Backpage can sell these girls on line.” “I don’t understand how Amazon can sell Pimp “Street workers often act as if it [trafficking] was a choice. Manuals.” “How can Canadian Pimp website stay on-line?” They all think like this. They call it harm reduction. But there is no way those children will exit if we keep telling them it’s “It’s like what we do with cigarettes. They stopped advertising OK.” — stopped advertising smoking as a good thing.”
10 3 Increase public 4 Address demand 5 Reform the laws “What can men do? Stop buying sex.” “We need to get rid of criminal records and get pardons so awareness about we can work.” trafficking “We need to criminalize the demand and decriminalize the “I wish there was a program that would teach what human sold. Then men would be the ones in the revolving door in “Rub and tugs shouldn’t be legalized. It’s not allowed on the trafficking is. Human trafficking is selling a woman. If people the Criminal Justice System until they stop buying sex.” street, but there are places licensed to sell sex. Everyone don’t buy it there is no trafficking. . . . The only program that knows this is happening.” would work is to start with our men. Create a program that “If they legalize prostitution -- which it looks like they will – we will teach young men the truth and the reality. What are men still need to hold men accountable . . . There is already a guy “By-laws that allow businesses that are clearly fronts for doing there? . . . They should know better. This is not a life from the “Bunny Farm” in Nevada who has bought property trafficking just shouldn’t be on the books. Why don’t they a 14 year old would choose. Educate those men and human in Barrie for “legal” brothels. crack down and enforce them properly?” trafficking would be less.” “I don’t get it. Why do men do it? It’s like a business. The business “Backpage.com can sell girls and these sites are still up. The “I wish I would have been educated and heard, ‘Watch out if can shut down if you don’t buy it. . . . I know men can help and men justice, police and community know they are there and they a guy is saying these things. These are signs that this guy is can put an end to this industry. If they want to, they can do it.” do nothing about it. There is no stopping it. They don’t care turning into your pimp.’ I am still calling this guy my boyfriend, to stop it. They don’t raid them or charge them or shut them so I guess education – more education – is really needed.” “We have to find our voices and say, NO MORE. . . . We’ve down.” got to come up with beautiful words for fathers that say, “The only programs are for lower class guys. They don’t touch ‘Stop abusing your daughters.’” “I ran a john school. We were giving men on welfare breaks. If the upper class guys who want to buy young girls. . . . We they have money for girls, they have money.” need more prevention programs to teach girls at a young “People need to stick together and hold these men accountable. age the signs to watch for. I might have known they were If that doesn’t change, there’s no point in talking.” “I charged my john with rape and I successfully had him grooming me if I had learned.” incarcerated for two years. That was a big push for me. It was always in the paper. Everyone said, ‘How can you rape a “It’s a good thing that we teach the girls how not to get raped, working girl? How can you rape a hooker.’ But NO is NO. . . . but why don’t we talk to boys about how not to rape. Who is The whole idea of a hooker charging a john was completely there to tell them that this is not cool?” outrageous. But the judge didn’t see it that way.” Irreplaceable Wise Sacred Pretty Strong Rebellious Speaking the truth
Fighters 11 Thoughts on Ten canada-wide recommendations... the Survivors’ “We’re sitting around talking and talking about fixing the Roundtable 6 Support survivor-led system. We need to break it down and rebuild it. The initiatives feminist movement wanted to change the system but it Many participants hoped the roundtable “We need a ‘Voices’ Forum.’” really hasn’t happened. . . . Survivor voices are being led by itself would become a foundation for non-survivor women of privilege. Fund survivors’ services “We need a Survivors Summit. The people who need to run by survivors only. Rather than re-integrate into the survivor-led co-ordination and advocacy. attend are from child welfare, police, shelters, academia – system, recreate the system.” Here are some reflections on the they all need to hear the survivors’ voices.” roundtable experience. “Get survivors in schools, in hospitals, and in the courts. If there is a system interacting with a vulnerable young person, 7 Respect the role of “I’ve never felt so not alone in my life.” then survivors need to be accessible.” spirituality “The most important thing was reconnecting to my culture “Keep us in the loop. I’ve taken part in so many focus “I want to see survivors in administration – in management. – who I was born to be – and reclaiming that. I found my groups. The people have taken the notes disappear Not a token survivor – someone who has progressed and is birth family, and got my treaty card. It was the Aboriginal and you never hear back. When you have women come now the boss.” community that I turned to – the Friendship Centres, the together at this scale, the accountability is there.” places where I was told I couldn’t go if I was drunk or high, “I cannot explain this connection – oh my God I am not but they still let me in.” “People say, ‘Come for your story, and we’ll give you an the only one. It’s just like addiction support. I can look in honorarium.’ And then next time they come by and say their eyes and not have to explain my story. I know they “I lost hope that there was help out there. The only person I we want someone else because we’ve already heard understand. We need something like AA – a place where could trust was God and Jesus. I think my faith set me free.” your story. It‘s very similar to being on the street. A guy survivors can share, and when you have nowhere to go this drives by and you wave and he says, ‘Do you know a could help.” “We should bring people from the northern communities friend? Because I’ve already had you.’” south to teach us spirituality. It is an opportunity for the “When I was working I felt alone. I still feel like I’m by Aboriginal community to teach us – because things clearly “I want to thank everyone at the Foundation for doing myself. When I had negative feelings, I had nobody to call haven’t worked for us.” something brave that needed to be done. It released a – nowhere to spill everything out. It would be really cool if lot of feelings and emotions. But now I’m going back into there was a community of survivors that stayed in contact, “The last day I ever used drugs I prayed for the first time. I the world and have to build that shell back up again.” and hung out, and you could talk about your shit. You can’t wanted out for a long time and I was using and my daughter talk to regular people, because they don’t get it. They see us was at the top of the stairs. So I got on my hands and knees “This was great, and I’m very happy the Foundation as strong people, but we’re not.” and I prayed. I haven’t used since that day. All I did was pray. brought us together. But I don’t know what I can do with The partner I found and I go to church together. He was a this after. Here I’m fine. I know you understand me. But “We are not only defined by our exploitation in the sex pimp before. He changed his life too and found God. I didn’t after . . .?” trade…. We are not helpless victims. We want to work, have faith then but I do now.” to take action, to resist, to work in solidarity with other “I’m grateful for this experience. I feel such a strong women. Don’t organize survivors -- support us! We can “We need more influencers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and sisterhood. I just wish we had more time with each organize ourselves. We are activists. I want to be known counselors who are compassionate – who just pay some little other. . . . I will carry each of you with me forever.” as a survivor activist.” bit of attention to the humanity and spirituality component.”
12 “I work in ECE, and never in the curriculum has there been “The system should be designed so that everyone is working anything about nurturing the spirit. Now I get the chance to together. People with lived experience need to be part of 10 Get on with it! “This is happening at all levels, in the street and in fancy explore it because it’s part of my healing. I’m just not going the system.” offices also. Let’s do something. Let’sdo something.” to shut up about it.” “We need a TV commercial that goes across the country, with “I see the work we did so long ago and I am happy it’s a number where women can call to say they are trafficked acknowledged; we’ve built foundations for changes since and get what they need.” 8 Remember exploited then. What upsets me is that it should not have taken half my lifetime to see the changes. . . . I would like to see more “There is not a hotline to call to say I am in trouble. There are boys happen at a faster pace. Why has this taken so long? It’s “It’s not just women and girls. It’s men and little boys too. And suicide lines and rape crisis lines but you need it for this too. not like we don’t know this is happening. I don’t want to unfortunately they are not looked at as being trafficked as If you are raped and go to the hospital, someone calls and be sitting here ten years from now asking ‘why isn’t this women are. The young boys are being abused just as much checks up on you. If you are trafficked and go to the hospital working? What needs to change?’ We already have the as women. It’s too shameful and taboo for the boys and men then the hospital doesn’t follow up on you. You need a answers. We all know this is happening, and we don’t do to come out. It’s not just a female problem. It angers me that hotline to call.” anything and we don’t investigate. We have the tools and we see it as only a women’s problem.” technology. How hard would it be to call those numbers [on “We need a one-stop shop: housing, doctors, empowerment Backpage.com] and set up dates and bust the guys who sell “We need to include boys that have been trafficked. It’s their circles. All our lives we’ve been going here, there and these girls – we know half of these girls are under-age.” issue too. We are telling our young men that what happens everywhere.” to them doesn’t matter. I would love to see more advocating for “We know the problem is not getting better. There are more boys and men that have been trafficked as it affects both sexes.” “It’s really important to finance grass-roots movements. We’re children in foster care than we’ve ever had. We know the always trying to centralize. For me, it’s locally that things programming is not working. The programming needs to happen. I understand collaboration, but locally it’s peer-to- change to meet the needs. There’s nothing for their children. peer, in the kitchen. Attacking pimps and johns -- that can 9 Co-ordinate nationally. We say family is important, but we need to work with the be global. But for supporting survivors, it’s a grass-roots whole family. There’s a lot of dysfunction out there – that Fund locally movement.” “It’s a big industry like the movie and entertainment and pop black cloud has come over many people – and not just Aboriginal women. So many things have to be changed. “ industry. It is a large industry with a lot of power and the “We need long-term funding. Don’t fund programs for just government is afraid of it.” one or two years. It’s horrible. It would be better if we never got money. I’ve seen women who have come out of “I am still longing to understand the politics of this whole jail and, in two years, couldn’t get their children. We sat system. It’s obviously a huge fricking problem and Canada in a circle and cried together, but it didn’t help. We don’t is just brushing it under the rug. I want to understand and need professional people to know how to live. We need the I want to learn more about things like this. I am wondering trust of funders, without a bunch of rules tied to threats “Between rage and despair why there aren’t more of these meetings. Why is it not to cut your funding. Even if we only helped ten families, accessible? Why is it exclusive? There needs to be more action.” that’s progress.. But if you give only two-year funding, we there is a place for action.” accomplish nothing.” “We need a national coordination centre to regulate and monitor and make sure the proper services are coordinated.” 13 “Listen to someone who has been there”
Recommendations for services
articipants drew on their own “I tried when I was eight to get help. I tried “I was expelled from high school. They knew Pexperiences to recommend dozens Prevention to kill myself at 12. But no-one did anything. there were problems in the home but no one of changes in the service sector – Every child goes to school. If there was only reached out to help me. They just considered one teacher who — just by my behaviour — me a problem and so just removed me from schools, police, child welfare, mental Schools saw something was wrong — who heard me school. This sped up rather than slowed down health and addiction services, and and believed in me, it would have saved me.” the [exploitation] process.” so on – and to suggest new services Recommendations: • Train teachers and school counsellors that would benefit trafficked girls and “Educate teachers about what they are “Teachers know when kids are at risk. to spot the signs of abuse or sexual women. seeing, where to go, and how to understand Getting experiential women into the school exploitation their own feelings. Even the body language system to let them know how you can • Recognize bad behavior as a signal that of the teacher can tell you they’re not be trafficked is the only way I can see a For the purposes of this report, these something is wrong. Explore alternatives approachable.” prevention strategy. . . . Leave resources services have been grouped into three to expulsion out so kids can grab them at their own categories: prevention, intervention and • Develop referral options other than the “When we [survivors] train school discretion when no one is looking. Also child welfare system counsellors, we show them it’s OK to refer educate what abuse is. Many kids have rebuilding. In practice, however, many • Build connections with survivor-led groups services provide multiple functions and things to us when they can’t handle it. Let been abused their whole lives they don’t • Develop curricula in three areas: 1) for survivors show what we know how to do.” realize it’s abuse because it’s all they know. are important at all stages of a trafficked junior grades, information on healthy What might be abuse or sexual assault in woman’s life. relationships; 2) for middle-schools, “When kids are not doing well, they often go one home may feel like the norm in another information on the signs of luring and to school for the social aspect. We need home. Drop the text books and listen to grooming; 3) for senior social justice to have teachers listen to kids — and they someone who has been there and who classes, survivor-led information on need to have different options other than knows the signs of what this could lead to.” trafficking calling the child welfare system.” 14 Child welfare “If my [child welfare] worker had sat down “The child protection system is one of “Remember: family is part of the system. with me longer than a nano-second, we the biggest jokes around. . . . We need to They can play the most important role in Recommendations: could have gotten somewhere. Or if she educate some of these child protection one’s life. If we don’t include family as a big • Restore confidence in the child welfare had asked me questions to get at the workers that they cannot play god. We system there is no point.” system reasons behind my behavior. We put need to listen to the children to learn what • Recognize youth need guidance and too much responsibility on the youth to they need and work with them. It’s about “The family unit staying together would have support to counteract luring navigate their own brokenness. We leave supporting them and not trying to run their slowed [my exploitation] process.” • Develop specific strategies for runaway them open to predatory behaviour. “ lives. At the same time, I think the parents youth need more rights over their children so “If I had a supportive family, it would have • Improve assessments for children “There are predators waiting outside CAS they can get their kids into treatment. They made a difference. My mother wasn’t entering ‘care’ [child welfare] facilities. What are the need treatment to learn how to be a kid, supportive but they were separated. My • Recognize foster homes and child welfare workers doing inside? Why aren’t they and education to help the kids heal and dad still won’t touch the issue that his offices are a magnet for traffickers aware of what’s going on?” learn. I have such low faith in some of these daughter was a working girl. He would • Support foster families and equip them systems. So many people who work in drive past me on the street. My family ex- to recognize the signs of trafficking “I was in a group home and they saw the them mean to do good, but can’t.” communicated me for 10 years.” • Raise the age of eligibility for services signs because I started running away. I to 21. moved to Edmonton, was in a group home “The one program I went to is like a day-time “This generation is suffering from the results and did drugs. The people at the group john. You get money to attend. But as soon of the 50s generation. Parents need more “When something happens to a child now, home should have seen it but didn’t. I met a as you turn 18 all your support is taken assistance to learn how to communicate we call in child welfare services. But even girl in a group home who I thought was my away and they tell you ‘If you have any with their kids. If women were coming from child welfare services do not respond friend, but wasn’t.” more problems you can go get welfare.’ A healthy families with fathers who cared, then appropriately. Even the social workers day-time john is something you do during their kids would never end up in ‘care.’” need to realize that sometimes parents “Women groom girls too. . . . Girls who are the day to keep your group home and social need help. They don’t have confidence in at risk are put in programs with girls worker happy.” “You fear for your family. They make you the parents and the kids.” who are already on the street, and they feel like it’s a choice you make. There is a influence them.” “Child welfare needs to raise the age [for lot of shame involved. I didn’t want my little “There was no programming for youth who service eligibility] to 21. At 16, what do you brother to know so I pushed him away to run away. The alcoholism and violence “We need to treat our foster parents better. know? I’m so sick of hearing that at 18 protect him and because of shame. You in the family was not dealt with. I had a We need to value them so that they value you’re an adult. It’s at 18 that you make the don’t want people to help you.” really abusive mother — a survivor from our children. The system is so broken that biggest mistakes.” residential schools. There was no help for no one is caring for the kids. We abandon “My Mother played a BIG role. She would her or us. I didn’t get any attention, other kids far too young in the name of choice. go and march for Take Back the Night. We than negative attention. I felt freedom when We do not offer concrete programs or Family walked to the point in Thunder Bay where I initially ran away — but then got no help, alternatives. We need to let them know a woman’s body was found. A strong family and felt a lack of value as a person. The they are not bad. We need to give them Recommendations: system is good. It enforces that there is a • Remember the role healthy families play more men paid for me, the more I felt I was tools to deal with the abuse they have way out.” in preventing trafficking worth something.” suffered or have seen. No one gave me • Recognize the challenges of reunification tools to stand up to the men that were after trafficking grooming me.” 15 recommendations for services...
“Why aren’t police out in the communities “If I had a police officer come into my hotel “We go into the police college to train Intervention where they can help?” room who could talk to me, and could tell police. You can see that when a social me there is a way out and we’ll help you. . . . worker speaks [about trafficking], the “I was in detox and in emerg. The police If there was a police officer with a formerly audience is fidgeting. But when we play our Police were called several times but they said it trafficked woman – I could trust them and I documentary, or when I speak, they get it. was just a domestic.” would go in a heartbeat.” It brings authenticity. They can’t say, that Recommendations: didn’t happen, because I’m sitting right • Listen. Recognize opportunities to “I was arrested. The police officer said he “StreetReach in Winnipeg and Thompson there.” prevent or stop trafficking would let me go if I did something for him [Manitoba] tries to build the relationship • Build strong relationships between youth – how do you say it in English? A blow job. between police and youth. They have “I never thought I would be training guns, and individual police officers they can trust He let me go after that.” assigned officers to work with high-risk gangs and vice units. A cop gave me a • Learn from successful policing models in victims. Youth say, ‘I’ve got my own cop.’ chance. If it were not for him, we wouldn’t other jurisdictions “On the street I saw little girls that were They begin to realize that some cops are be giving this training. I feel I’ve made him a • Recognize the strong link between drugs pimped. The pimp had got them into a good guys. Up north, the RCMP have better officer. Finally, someone is hearing.” and trafficking strippers club. You saw clients paying modeled same thing. Youth are always • Hire survivors to train officers the pimp, and then taking the girls. I was running from the police, but now they have • End corruption arrested for solicitation. They said, ‘If you their own officer. The cops get a six-day
want no trouble, become an informant. training program, and you can see the light- the justice system You’ll make more money than turning tricks.’ bulbs go on. They see what they were doing Recommendations: “Police and judges do not trust women. But it was more dangerous doing that. I told wrong.” • Consider an alternate court for trafficked They do not listen to us when we report our them about those little girls. They said, ‘It’s women, similar to mental health or drug pimps or when we are raped.” not our problem. A youth officer will take “In Montreal, a team of survivors are training courts care of that. We’re just concerned about the police. . . . It doesn’t change all the • Recognize the opportunity to provide “When I tried to run I was laughed at by the over-18s working on the street.’” police, but it changes some of them, and life-changing resources cops and told I probably deserved it. The it’s empowering for the women. A female • Facilitate pardons. Clear criminal records. people that could have made the biggest “If you want to find trafficking, look more police officer works with each of the youth. impact on me – the police – failed me. It’s closely at the drug trade.” It’s cute in a way – they want to make sure disgusting how the police treat the youth. every girl is ok. It’s a bit paternalistic, but “The court system treats women badly. A When a youth is raped and beat at a 50- “If police said no to men buying sex, we the youth like it and they are safe. The women could have just been raped by a year old man’s house, they look at the girl wouldn’t have been such easy prey. Men officer in charge is really with us.” john and there she is: in the cell being re- and say, ‘Why were you dressed like that?’ know where group homes are, where the victimized in the way she is put in the cell They should be asking, ‘Why does a 50-year malls are, and know what a vulnerable girl “In Toronto we have a sex crime team that or the way she is searched. Then she is met old man have a 14-year old at his house?’” looks like. They prey on that.” somewhat ‘gets it.’ They’re more open to by a judge from the old school. There needs listening, and sitting and sharing space. to be something set up so that women “I was arrested with my predator, I was 15, You can see there is empathy. They do could go to a different area, like the mental and the police let me leave with him. It was something with complaints.” health courts. They need to be able to call a completely missed opportunity. Seeing survivors. They need to be asked questions this young girl with much older man – why like, ‘Can I help you?’” didn’t they ask questions?” 16 Resilient “The criminal system has no understanding Go to bed. Shut up.’ They shelter you but “Today they are opening four beds for men “When I was trying to exit, what worked for of mental health issues. It is the same group they don’t listen to you. We need to be and four beds for women in prostitution. me was having a place I could be myself of women — a revolving door of the same heard. It’s not just about a bar of soap and You can stay for two weeks every six weeks. and not get judged — where I could maybe women in the trade. . . . The same group of a housecoat.” There’s no help — just eat, sleep and watch waste time, but also would be out of women are keeping the system employed. TV. There’s no help getting ID cards, or trouble.” It’s a cycle. “In Toronto there are no shelters specifically health care or housing. It’s just a place to for trafficked women. We need specific rest before going back to the street.” “I’d like to see a place where girls could be “I am fortunate that the people I met in jail places for women that are still entrenched. safe. It could be a community centre, a and the worker I had were really cool — as There is a call center in Toronto that could home, a church — any indoor place. It would was the support I had when I got out of jail provide assistance. Currently, the tone on have couches and girls cursing and laughing to keep me in line for the first six months. the phone shows that people do not get it.” Safe places together and not fighting over territory. . . . I wanted to change and I used the Recommendations: There would be activities they could do resources to help myself. The system failed “Some women’s shelters will only accept • Create and fund survivor-run “safe together to build a community — books, me before, but later when I looked for women exiting an abusive relationship. spaces” for both women who are board games, cooking lessons. . . . I notice at resources they did help.” There is one shelter that takes everyone, entrenched and those who have exited the food bank people are taking junk food — but they do not talk to women. There needs • Ensure they are open after hours but not the real food — because they don’t “Criminal records — that’s a big blocker. I got to be more than a bed. Women who have • Advertise them in hospitals, detoxes, know how to use it. I’d like to see a place a pardon because a guy heard me speak. been prostituted want to have a group just police stations, public washrooms where people could get a good meal and That’s totally needed. How else can you for them. There is a feeling that women in laugh and maybe leave with a recipe. There rebuild your life? If you want to be a lawyer, abusive relationships did not deserve what could be a soup day — I would volunteer to how can you do it unless you clean your happened to them. This is not the feeling “There needs to be somewhere you can go do it — that would give women a reason to record?” for women who have been prostituted. that is survivor-run. For a few weeks I was go, even if they didn’t want to participate in There is shaming and stigmatizing from ready to leave but I couldn’t get away for conversation.” other women.” even a few hours. I didn’t know there was anything in place to help me. Advertising it “Safe spaces: this is a place where we could shelters “Shelters need to remove barriers for in the right places would help — emergency get the word out. It’s just like a referral Recommendations: women with alcohol and drug addictions.” rooms, detoxes, the police.” centre. Schools, day cares, should have safe • Build the capacity of the shelter system spaces for women and girls.” to provide individual supports to “There are many houses for women to stay “Women need money and space. We need trafficked women but the workers do not talk to them. How 24-hour places. Most agencies close at “We need . . . 24-hour drop-in centres for • Consider specific shelters for women do the women leave [exploitation] when no 5pm. My most vulnerable time is after sexually exploited young women and girls who are sexually exploited one asks questions? Workers need to listen 5pm. I need a safe space where I could be — and fill that environment with warrior and talk to the women and that takes time.” supported.” women. Being open 24/7 is important. That lifestyle isn’t a 9-5 job. It’s more of a 24/7 “We need changes in the shelters. . . . I’d “It is hard to stay at home alone. I need a job. If there were more centres like that say to the workers, ‘Call the cops. I saw a place to go where I can be with others. It’s across Canada it would make a difference four year old being beaten.’ They’d just say, hardest in the mornings and evenings.” — centres with experiential women, who ‘We don’t want to hear it. Eat something. have made it and have become teachers and can help.” 17 recommendations for services...
“I went to the OW (social assistance) office “I didn’t have child care support or Rebuilding and I told this man everything. He had medication, and had to move into a shelter Supportive and a cheque in my hand immediately. That that wouldn’t help my daughter. The welfare affordaBle housing system didn’t fail me — that story needs to system wouldn’t help. They don’t help be told. I still know him and I want to tell people at all, especially women. When that Recommendations: Income and happened I knew I could just go work one employment him how that $700 changed my life.” • Create supportive housing for exploited night and pay my rent. But I knew I wasn’t girls. Do not make exiting a condition of support “There are not many services for exiting. Pay mentally and physically able to do it.” moving in. rent for a year to help women exit.” • Offer opportunities to “graduate” and Recommendations: “Women on welfare who want to get a life move to independent affordable housing. • Recognize the crucial role income “I want to pay off these girls’ student loans. going – they have to resort to a system that • Advocate for changes to social housing support, subsidized child care and How do you tell OSAP (Ontario Student does not work for them. There needs to be waiting lists university tuition have in rebuilding lives Assistance Program) she gave her money an organization that offers job skills training • Advocate to bring provincially-funded to a pimp?” From another woman in a to help women support their families, benefits up to the highest levels jurisdiction that offers free tuition: “It’s offering child care at the same time.” “A dream of mine is to open a building with available in Canada good we are able to go to school without a different stages of support. The ground • Support and fund organizations that huge student loan and now we are able to “These women with children don’t have the floor would be the harm reduction floor, provide employment supports and help others.” proper nutrition. They’re just going to food where girls could come even if they are provide short-term funds not available banks. They need nutrition for cognitive still in the life. Every floor up, there would through government programs. “Start a solidarity fund to pay for things development. They’re just stuck. They need be less support. The top floor would be that will help women exit and that no one help - especially child care — so they can for those with lived experience. But they else funds — rent, getting a dog, getting a build a future for their children.” could come down to the ground floor to be “I tried a few times to get out but poverty pardon.” mentors. It would a place where you don’t — having to feed kids — brought me back “Every job I work lasts three months. It’s need to worry about rent for a year. And I’d in. Until we have a guaranteed income, or “Women need jobs. I’m going to have a real the three-month probation rule. They can like it to be funded with non-government adequate social assistance rates, we’re paycheque and live my passions, so that I fire me for no reason. There should be a money, please. I want to run it as it should going to have this problem.” can live and breathe…. I want to work.” system for women who have been or still be run, not be told how to run it.” are exploited to find a legitimate job and “The welfare system makes you jump “Not having child care holds you back. And be supported while working. EI takes eight “I am at a home now — but it is actually like a through hoops to get assistance. job skills training is needed to get you on weeks to respond. If you have no money real home. It has couches and everything. My Exploitation and prostitution becomes your path and keep you there. We also that whole time, what do you do? You turn worker at this house goes above and beyond the solution to poverty. The system keeps need supports in the workplace. You can’t to risky behaviour, especially if you have for me every day. They help me do so much, women just treading above water.” go from prostitution to employment in one children.” including making friends, helping me with my single step. You need enormous faith to PTSD and helping me look after myself.” build a future for yourself and your family. Not having money is an enormous barrier. “To get [subsidized] housing in Toronto, you Having money builds a way out.” need to prove that you are in a domestic violence situation and still living with your abuser. There is nothing else.” 18 The givers of life “Breaking Free in Minnesota offers girls “When people find out about your life they “You need support with addictions to stay “I had a really awesome nurse practitioner supportive housing who can then graduate treat you like garbage… and no help is out of the game. That is the key.” who was always there for me. My son goes to living on their own, and then on to their provided once they realize you were doing to the same place and that was a really big own apartments in their community. They tricks. Harm reduction strategies such as “The worst part is after you are trafficked, support. . . . Just having somebody reach are doing something right. They have the giving condoms, syringes and crack pipes when you are free and you don’t get out and be there to listen to you. My son’s leadership there.” are not substantial help.” support. The memories are the strongest school offered a social worker and she part. When you are no longer in danger, worked with us for six years and that was “My counselor says, ‘Just move forward.’ your body is ready to start feeling but good. Now I have a counselor who is a big My psychiatrist just gives me a prescription. doesn’t know how to readjust.” help.” . . . I said, ‘You know what? This is not going to help me.’ I’m so angry and I’m so “Counseling should be in the health system. Mental health and emotional. We really need help. We need It should be just like when you see a doctor addiction services to educate doctors with all those degrees. I when you are sick. There should not be was shocked when the counselor said, ‘Just a time limit on your healing. It takes a social workers Recommendations: move forward.’ What are you talking about? lifetime of counseling to deal with this...... You don’t know about human trafficking It costs $95/hour. It’s a lot of money but the • Recognize the long-term nature of healing Recommendations: – it’s not just selling. We’re not just Kleenex. government should include it in the health • Re-kindle empathy • Fund long-term counseling We’re human. We’re women.” system so if you need help you will get it.” • End discrimination against trafficked • Provide survivor-led training to mental women health professionals “Twelve sessions offered under Victim “I have a Grade 6 education. How do you • Expose social workers to survivors’ • End discrimination against survivors Services is not enough. I wish there was even go back to school at my age? It’s about experiences counseling available nationally for survivors having long-term counseling as I move • Recognize the value of both experiential “People are quick to diagnose with a label that was long-term, built right into mental through the stages in my life. I have great and non-experiential expertise instead of listening. They want to fix health services.” friends, but there’s something to be said for everything with a pill. It takes long-term a counselor — a place to be honest without counseling to deal with what we’ve been “Services are needed right away for women judgment. When I say to my friends, ‘I feel “You need someone who has a good ear and through. The mental health system needs wanting to get clean. They can’t just be like a failure,’ they try to buoy me up rather compassion, and no judgment. People say to be educated by survivors about what our for two weeks — it takes longer than that. than get to the bottom of it. about a worker, ‘She’s never been there.’ mental health needs are.” Otherwise you are just making women But she doesn’t need to have been there. better enough to go back on the street.” “In Toronto we’ve started a survivors’ group, A lot of women can have compassion. I can “The mental health system damages kids modeled on AA, that is a safe place for feel what another woman went through — with labels. When I was adopted I was “Doing counseling is the best thing that women to talk. December and January are that feeling of living the same thing. I can labeled as brain damaged. Maybe that’s has ever helped me . . . If it can happen to the hardest time of year. People are broke feel compassion also from women who have why my foster parents took advantage of other people that would be great. I think in January and services are closed. Triggers not been there.” me. This abuse continued throughout the counseling is what’s needed. A regular are everywhere.” system with doctors and psychologists. It psychologist might judge me. I wanted “If they know you have a background, they is the same revolving door of women with someone who understood what I went won’t give you support services. Girls can’t mental health issues.” through.” disclose. “
19 recommendations for services...
“I had a social worker who would not sit on Peer workers/ “I was rough around the edges. I didn’t know “It made a huge difference having someone my couch in case there was male ejaculate how to behave. What made the difference who had ‘been there and done that’ using there. Now this social worker is the peer support was a community of women, who loved me my language — not university and text book manager of social work. “ and gave me a new perspective by seeing language. If you haven’t been trafficked you Recommendations: their lives.” have no way to have the knowledge. It can’t “You need to weed out the workers who • Support survivor-led organizations come from textbooks. Having experiential are just doing it because it’s work. And you • Create many opportunities for peer “I’m now most comfortable in my own workers working with women who are need to have survivors as part of the staff.” support: in the justice system, in shelters, community. From a young age I saw things entrenched is the most powerful support. counseling and social services differently. I had empathy for people who Therapists and police officers can’t help and “Social workers and police become de- • Recognize peers also need support to were outcasts. This is my community — can’t understand.” sensitized. This can’t be allowed to happen continue to help others where I can go as a survivor and give back. I in this field. Maybe every six months can be real and raw. . . . I go home every day “Only hire experiential people once they are they need to meet with a group like this humbled.” finished their healing first. . . . Youth are put [the roundtable] so they can hear from “I wish there was a place where there are on a pedestal to tell their story, and given survivors.” friends who will love you no matter what “We come from a place of understanding. no support. Once their story isn’t new any – where you can build relationships and We share that commonality of what more they’re cast out. . . . As important as “Interveners and social workers need to a community. I know a girl on the fence, happened. It doesn’t matter what your it is to have experiential people working, listen. They want to think for us. There is a deciding whether to leave or stay. I’m there background is — our pain is the same. It’s there needs to be a balance of those who need for training along the lines of the les for her if she needs to talk; I’ll come on a the type of support that is unspoken.” are ready and healed.” Survivantes training for police.” dime. But I’m not telling her what to do. Hopefully she leaves. If only girls had a “There needs to be more advocacy for “We need to make sure experiential women “Community social services are already place to go where they weren’t judged, or survivor-led services like hotlines. I want to who are workers are healthy and have overloaded. Trafficked women’s needs are where what they say will not come back to go to school, but what for? To get a piece counseling — without waiting on a waiting list better met by working with survivors.” bite them.” of paper for something I’m expert in? We or having to search so hard for counseling ARE the experts. We should be employed — so they can be strong and help others. “There needs to be more training for front “I need to hear from other girls that have for this.” Those years on the street mess you up and line workers. Front line workers must been in prostitution because they know you get screwed in the head.” have a lot of empathy and be trained by what I’m talking about. Systems are very “I was at a home called Little Sisters for experiential workers.” compartmentalized. I am one person but I sexually exploited young girls. Seeing the “Even though we don’t necessarily believe need to talk about many things. Girls who stories of women who came from that it, we’re told by professionals how powerful “Sexual abuse counseling failed for me. Even have been through this understand.” hard life — seeing that they got through you are. Then you relapse or have a bad though I had the counseling, no one told my it — I knew I was going to as well. I greatly week. Where do you go? I love the work I Mom, nor did they follow up with me. They “The people running [Jane school] invited appreciate that.” do, but I find it incredibly triggering. You’re never said that there is a duty to report the me to be a speaker. Helping other girls to earning minimal wages as it is. If you are abuse. It was a big fail.” get out helped me stay out.” having a hard time, you’re afraid you’ll be forced to take a leave but you’re not paid for that.” 20 Survivors A better place The Lord above I praise, Beneath the rage and pain This human bond I feel In Oh! So many ways A new seed grows again It’s not fake, it’s for real When thoughts of yesterdays We now dance in the rain We’ve travelled the same road Seem now in such a haze. We’re boarding a new train. Surviving, so I’m told.
These ladies that were sold I know now when I weep Today with you I shared There is so much untold. I am strong, I am not weak. With no emotions spared Let us be blunt and bold In my dreams he can’t sneak I am alone no longer And see how things unfold. And so I lay me down to sleep. Already, I am stronger.
Our souls they did not capture He’s given me a choice United we will go on For within us lies a treasure. And later on a voice. To face this journey that seems so long Once a dark place, once a prison To share with you my sister There is no right there is no wrong The sun now shines, the fog has risen. My tears, my joy, my daughter. For this is where we belong.
From a survivor written during the roundtable
21 “Women are . . .
uring the opening exercise, Survivors Valued Dparticipants were asked to The givers of life complete the sentence, “Women Advocates are ______, and that includes me.” Able to change the world The experts
Some participants found it hard Wise to speak the words “and that includes me” with confidence. By Pretty the end of the roundtable, they Angels Strong didn’t need to say it. Everyone could see it was true. Speaking the truth Magical Powerful Fighters
eachers Priceless In charge of their own healing journey T Empowering, powerful, inspirational, growing voices T enacious A phoenix – reborn I nspirational
22 Valued
Resilient IrreplaceableCourageous Rebellious Masters of creation Sacred Each others’ keepers Important – and our voices are strong together Beautiful A voice to be heard Still alive Able to achieve the impossible Clever Born to be beautiful The answer
Problem solvers I ntelligent in all shapes and sizes wesome
Priceless Human beings and should be treated like human beings A My sisters An invincible wisdom-keepers Unstoppable sisterhood . . . and that includes me.” 23 For more information please visit www.canadianwomen.org/trafficking
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