Dear Editor,
As you may be aware Feb. 22nd is Canada’s second annual National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
To mark the day, the Joy Smith Foundation is offering two new free educational resources to help Canadians understand and fight human trafficking.
The first resource is for parents to “Know the Signs” to educate on the real risks of human trafficking, potential signs that their children may be at risk of being trafficked, and practical everyday online safety tips.
The second resource educates High School students to “Know the Facts” about the threat of sex trafficking right here in Canada. Answering the most common questions we receive when conducting classroom and school sessions, the resource provides an overview of tactics human traffickers use to recruit new victims and the step-by-step grooming process that many human trafficking victims are put through.
Our hope is that you will help us to get these resources in front of as many parents and young adults as possible.
Please take a moment and share these resources as broadly as possible with your community.
We appeal to you to share them right now with:
- Your family
- Over your social media channels
- Directly with your children’s schools
- In your places of faith
I would also like to remind you that the National Human Trafficking Education Centre provides free courses for teachers, parents, front-line responders and all Canadians who want to prevent and intervene with human trafficking. Sign up for a free course at joysmithfoundation.com/national-human-trafficking-education-centre.
Warmest regards,
Janet Campbell
CEO, Joy Smith Foundation
Editor’s note: Joy Smith was a teacher for over two decades. She became aware of the victimization of young people. As early as 1994 Smith began giving seminars on "How to Protect Your Child from Internet Predators” to generate awareness. To her surprise, young victims came forward with stories that moved her to act further.
She won a seat in the Manitoba Legislature in 1999 and five years later, in 2004, the Winnipegger was elected as a Member of Parliament where she gave a voice to vulnerable young victims by building awareness of the issue among colleagues and contacts in the highest levels of government.
She worked to see two Canadian laws enacted. Joy Smith makes history as the first sitting MP to amend the Criminal Code twice to better protect victims of human trafficking.
