As Halifax courts deal with a number of cases of human trafficking, a veteran police officer who investigates human-trafficking cases in Halifax says the issue is an ongoing problem in Nova Scotia.
“A lot of times they don't realize they’re victims, because they're part of this grooming method that the pimp uses,” says Halifax Regional Police Det. Sgt. Darrell Gaudet. “They bring them in, have a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship - at least that's what the victim thinks - and treat them really well until they get them to do things that they don't want to do, which is usually sex with people they don't want have sex with.”
The founder of Nova Scotians for the Prevention of Prostitution and Human Trafficking says the province has become a source of victims, a transit place, and a destination for trafficking.
“I think this province has a lot of secrets and is willing to sweep things under the rug,” says Pamela Rubin.
Rubin blames a lack of opportunities and support for abused and homeless youth, and a higher rate of sexual assault in Nova Scotia compared to the rest the country, as factors that make potential victims vulnerable.
“When you talk about human trafficking, it’s sort of like domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and kidnapping all rolled up into one,” says Rubin.
Computers and social media can also make it easier to promote and access human-trafficking services, so police say their priority is identifying and getting victims out of the situation.
"We want to get them to safety first, because a lot of times it gets to that stage of violence. So we want to get them away from those predators, away from the violence to protect them. I mean, public safety is our main goal,” says Gaudet.
Advocates say they want a more comprehensive policing approach to human trafficking. Gaudet admits, while Halifax police have a dedicated unit, they could use more resources.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett
