Interview: Buying Sex is Not Sport Part III: On Human Trafficking in Canada

Human trafficking in Canada has a unique aspect of its own. Shae Invidiata, the event coordinator of the panel, Buying Sex Is Not Sport, talks about sex trafficking in Canada, its root causes and characteristics.

According to the researches, many human trafficking victims [in Canada] are aboriginal women and girls. Do you think it is true? If so, what is the reason behind their victimization?

Yes I do think this is true. Two reasons that human trafficking occurs are because of poverty and vulnerability. Unfortunately the Canadian government has neglected funding and support for many years in our aboriginal communities, leaving them in poverty—making these communities quite vulnerable and susceptible to traffickers. The lack of support from the government has caused drugs, abuse, lack of education, crime and so forth to run rampage in these communities. Traffickers recruit, manipulate and coerce women and children from their communities offering them a “way out” of poverty; the traffickers take these women and girls to different cities throughout Canada offering them a “better life.” In a sick and twisted way, traffickers appear to offer these women a better life than what their government has provided for their communities.

Aboriginals are an easier target for traffickers as they know that these communities are often overlooked. A prime example of this is the 520 murders of aboriginal women over the decades, which if this was another ethnic group with this type of tragedy (and statistic), the government would have stepped in a lot sooner.

Also, it is hard for anyone to believe that the rights of aboriginal girls are not as well represented as others in Canada, when the country takes human rights issues very seriously. Is there reason behind it?

The fact that in the 2009 HDI rankings, Canada is ranked #4 in the world for Human Development, it is devastating that our aboriginal people are living in such poverty and social brokenness. Over the years, Canada has only neglected more the responsibility that we have to our aboriginal communities to give them aid and see poverty made history amongst the aboriginal people.

How do you feel about the fact that the private bill proposed by MP Joy Smith regarding human trafficking will not be enforced?

There has been quite some opposition in regards to Bill C-268; some of the opposition say that the Bill does not give a strong enough minimum [sentence], that five years is not long enough. Another opposing view is that placing a mandatory minimum takes away the discretionary power of the judge. I agree that a minimum of five years is too little of a sentence, and that we should at least have stronger laws than Thailand if we are not going to have laws that are comparable with the United States. Addressing the discretionary power of a judge is a bit more complex to address in just a few words, but redirecting this back to your original questions I feel that Canada has really turned a blind eye to this important issue of trafficking, ESPECIALLY with the Olympics coming. There are no other Bills that are being brought forth to consider or vote on at the moment to strengthen our legal system and protect victims of trafficking, so at least Joy Smith, even if it’s not the “best” Bill or the most “ideal” it is better than nothing—and right now, Canada has nothing. I am disappointed in our government, and the lack urgency that should be in place to fight this horrific injustice—especially when it has involved and continues to involve hundreds of our own citizens

Interview: Buying Sex is Not Sport Part II: Anti-human trafficking campaign prior to the Olympics in Canada

In this interview, Shae Invidiata, the event coordinator of Buying Sex Is Not Sport (BSNS) panel in Toronto continues to share the significance of the event and anti-human trafficking advocacy on personal level.

What has it been like working on this event?

I feel very honored to have been approached to director and bring this panel to Toronto. This is a message that could not come at a better time in Canada-right before the Olympics. This awareness and importance of the campaign is crucial to our nation. This event has been a ton of work to pull together, and as we are now one week away from the and a few weeks away from the Olympics, it is paramount that this message, “the demand for paid sex fuels human trafficking” get out to the nation of Canada but also to our visitors during the Olympics. I was praying with a few people the other weekend RE human trafficking, and one lady was joining us via skype in Germany, and in her prayer she said, that she has seen the devastating effects that legalizing prostitution has done to her country. This lady in prayer said, “the legalization of prostitution is the eternal destruction of a nation.” I guess one of the purposes for the event as well, and why it has been so great to work on this event is that we can ensure that people are going to hear this message and begin to understand, if they don’t already, why prostitution should not be legalized.

How did you first learn about human trafficking?

When I was 18 I moved to Honolulu, HI to pursue my university education (I know what you are thinking- yes I did actually go to class, not all the time, but I did ☺ ). The street I first moved onto was Kuhio Avenue, which I learnt quickly was commonly known as Candy Lane. Candy Lane was where all the prostitutes walked at night. During my time in Hawaii I began to reach out to these women and girls (which over the years of living there, I kept noticing younger faces on the streets). I lived in Hawaii for 3 years years before I moved to Vancouver in 2006; it was around this time that I began to expand my knowledge of a ‘prostitute’ to a ‘prostituted’ woman/girl/child, to which the words “human trafficking” became a part of my knowledge and vocabulary.

How have audiences responded to it?

We have not had the panel yet, so this is a post question I think. But in terms of when we have gone out to tell people about the panel and that it is coming to Toronto-majority of people, regardless of age are supportive and relatively shocked that this is happening in Canada and around the world (today!).

What does being able to work on a project like this mean to you?

This is my heartbeat in life, so to work on an event like this, drives my passion and fuels my soul to keep pressing in. This injustice is soo massive that sometimes it can be overwhelming to try to see the end the slave trade, working on an event like helps you to re-focus for a particular moment in time, to just worry about reaching 1250 (both venue capacities combined) people, to raise up activists, and to send out a ripple effect. In line with my heartbeat, working on a event like this reminds me of the unique calling on my life, and that I have been called for such a time as this to bring forth this message, the abolition of the modern day slave trade. From a professional perspective this has been a great opportunity to gain further experience in event planning and directing. More importantly this event has allowed me to grow and strengthen my network and contact database—some great partnerships have been birthed through the happening of this panel, and I know that this is just the beginning—the best has yet to come!

What about this event’s efforts do you think makes it a particularly effective means of raising awareness of trafficking?

Usually events are dictated by the venue location, in that if the venue is in Toronto then the invitees are those who are in the area of the venue. However, because trafficking knows no boarders, and is not limited to districts or boundaries, I took the same approach when deciding where the word would go out. Of course people in the surrounding area of the venue were important to invite, but this also stretched to beyond the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), from the Niagara region to Waterloo from Toronto across to Vancouver, to New York, NY and Virginia the word has gone out that this panel is taking place. The unique part of this, is even though people in these more distant places may not come to the panel, a seed has been planted and a conversation may birth around the issue of paid sex and human trafficking because of hearing about this panel. The first step to STOP Human Trafficking is raising awareness and starting a conversation. The other effective aspect was not limiting age groups to this panel-so I involved high schools, colleges, universities, businesses, churches, organizations.

Is there any follow-up being planned for this event?

This campaign “Buying Sex Is Not A Sport” will continue into the Olympics and there is talk about keeping the campaign going afterwards- but there has not been a concrete answer yet on this. At the panel people will be able to provide feedback from the panel and also ask to receive more information on updates on human trafficking and other events/fundraisers.

How can people support the event and its initiatives?

People can support the event first by coming, and bring a friend with you! And to not just stop there, but take at least one piece of information that was heard and tell someone about the injustice of human trafficking, start a new conversation. Donations can be given towards the campaign. People can also sign up for the email update, where they will receive how they can be involved in small and larger way to fight human trafficking-to get connected with others who are fighting for the freedom of women and children around the world.

What can people find more information?

People can find out more information for the panel by going to http://www.free-them.net on that website they can also sign up to receive updates on human trafficking issues and events.

Also, visit: http://www.embracedignity.org/?page=buyingsexisnotasport

Interview: Buying Sex is Not Sport Part I: Anti-human trafficking campaign prior to Olympics

Everyone is excited about the Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, this month. Sports fans around the world are excited just as Canadians are. But, anti-human trafficking advocates are worried that the event will increase sex trafficking in Toronto. indeed, the news reports on big sports events like the Olympics, World Cup, or Super Bowl, in the past demonstrate that they are coupled with an increase in sex trafficking or child prostitution. HTP posted an article on advocates taking a preventive method against increase in sex trafficking prior to the Super Bowl game in 2008.

Currently, Canadians are faced with the same problem, but the scope of the challenge is greater than others. The Canadian government, other than deporting some immigrants, has not been very proactive on addressing the root causes of sex trafficking as human trafficking and child prostitution are poorly regulated. As a result, some traffickers in the past could get away with spending a few weeks in jail for sex trafficking of teenagers. [1]

To make the matter worse, the prime minister called for prorogation, which prevented the pending Canadian anti-human trafficking bill from becoming enforceable during the Olympics. [2]

This is why Buying Sex Is Not Sport (BSNS), the campaign against human trafficking in Canada before the Olympics, is significant. Unlike the reluctant effort of the Canadian government, the Canadian citizens themselves are taking the initiative to fight against human trafficking in their country. In this interview, Shae Invidiata, the event coordinator of BSNS panel in Toronto, introduces her campaign and the problem of sex trafficking in Canada.

Tell us about this event:

Listen Up TV was doing a series on Human Trafficking in Canada; and from the grant that the station was given, Listen Up TV had enough funding to bring Buying Sex Is Not A Sport (BSNS) out to Toronto to have a public panel. Lorna Dueck approached me through a mutual contact to see what my thoughts were on doing a panel that would address the issue of paid sex and human trafficking, and what it would look like if we brought out BSNS to Toronto.

Listen Up is a weekly, half-hour, independently-produced television program. Our program presents "news that takes you deeper," exploring news and current affairs stories from a Christian world view. Journalist and host Lorna Dueck and the Listen Up team dig behind the headlines to investigate those points at which news and spirituality converge, to illuminate God's involvement in the issues and events of our day.

Who is the intended audience?

The intended audience is to really see people from all different ages to come out including as many political figures as possible. This is not a Christian issue, a Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu, Agnostic, or Atheist issue, it is not a black or white issue, nor is it a conservative or liberal, Canadian or Indian issue, this is not just a male or female issue...this is GLOBAL HUMAN ISSUE, and if you happen to fall in that category, it should demand your attention; but further it should compel our hearts, minds and souls to learn more and take action against this injustice. We need our political figures to change our laws, and we need the people of Canada to tell them we want change.

What is the purpose or goal of this event?

The purpose of this panel is to bring people to the first step to the end of Human Trafficking- and that is becoming aware. Becoming aware of this horrific injustice is the first step to the abolition. The second purpose of this panel is give people an opportunity to help STOP Human Trafficking that day- such as signing the petition that will be at the panel for the audience to sign, for people to subscribe to newsletters that will keep that person in connection with event/fundraiser and other ways to raise awareness and get people actively involved to stop human trafficking, such as signing up to raise money and walk to Stop Child Trafficking (this walk will be taking place in October 2010- I am the Toronto Community Ambassador for Stop Child Trafficking Now). The goal is to have both venues packed out – one venue holds 900-1000 people (walmer road Baptist church) and the other holds 250 (room at the university of Toronto). Another goal is to have David Miller, the Mayor of Toronto in attendance, along with other political representatives.

Do you utilize volunteers and, if so how do you recruit volunteers and who are they?

Yes volunteers are always needed in events like these, they are the blood line to the event-without them, things would take 5 times longer to get things done and over double the cost to get it done. I have a great team that I have personally recruited.