CBC article on trafficking

[Frankfooter]

Very good article on human trafficking on CBC today, its worth a read.
http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/sh/Z9xYpkTjVq/human-trafficking-canadian-girls/

After reading it confirms that the police are on our sides. They are interested in stopping human trafficking and underage girls, both of which are not good for us or the hobby. Their approach seems really quite decent, here's what an ex-SP who was being trafficked said:

“I like to tell this story, especially when I'm talking to police officers,” Karly said recently to a packed room at Toronto’s 42 Division.

“I got out because of a police officer. And I think it's important to tell this story, because he did everything right. He booked a fake appointment, he showed his badge and he came in, and he sat there and he spoke to me like a human being. He didn't judge me, he didn't try to save and rescue me, he didn't tell me what I was doing was wrong. He sat there and he talked to me, he asked me about my life, he asked me about my family, my education, my hopes and dreams. He sat there and he talked to me the way he would talk to his sister or his daughter.”

http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/sh/Z9xYpkTjVq/human-trafficking-canadian-girls/

I'm impressed that they are also not targeting SP's in general, in the article they discuss running a sting where they thought an underage girl was being trafficked but finding it was a bait and switch. No arrests were made and they handed out a care package and left a card for contact if needed.

Their target is underage girls being trafficked, something I assume we can all get behind. One thing they look for in ads are tattoos they identify as 'branding', which is something I'll watch out for as well, though I tend to agencies and SP's these days. The only clients they are arresting are those that respond to ads for underage girls.

All in all, kudos to Toronto Police for a smart and decent approach.

 

[johnnyreb]

Good job on the cops' part.

 

[rhuarc29]

These are the stories we need to hear.

 

[nottyboi]

On the most part good, I am amazed someone is dumb enough to go through with a 17 year old girl and I am somewhat disappointed that the cops chose 17 and not 15. Why choose a "borderline" age and not one well across the line?

 

[Shades]

A number of years ago I was in Calgary on business and decided to reward myself after a long and successful day. I ordered room service from a local agency. The girl who arrived at my door looked very young....I asked her age, and despite the fact she said 18, I wasn't sure. She couldn't provide me with any proof of age....so I sent her away and phoned the agency. They were pretty casual about it and offered to send someone else, but by then I was tired and not in the mood anymore. I am pretty sure that this girl was 16 tops...I have wondered over the years what ever happened to her...guess I will never know.

 

[R the Man]

The girls at Asian agencies often look much younger than their age (that’s our Asian advantage - even aunties sometimes look like mid 20’s), so it may be hard to tell an under-18.

 

[GameBoy27]

A few moments later, the officers head out to an east-end hotel.

The team has booked a large suite, with two adjoining rooms. Several laptops are open, all tethered to the same web site officers scrolled through weeks ago looking for possible victims.

Their fake ad includes a photo and phone number for a girl claiming to be 20. The plan is to quickly inform anyone who reaches out that she is actually 17. In order to avoid accusations of entrapment during a criminal trial later on, the officers have to make such an age disclosure early on in any exchange.

Usually, the transaction ends there.

“Ninety nine percent of the time, most of them say no,” Heitzner says.

Thankfully!