The BC Lions are proud to announce our partnership as a founding member of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network of British Columbia. At the BC Lions, we understand the profound impact sports organizations can have in raising awareness and combating societal issues, and we are proud to stand alongside other organizations dedicated to preventing human trafficking. Through this partnership, we aim to leverage our platform to educate, advocate, and support initiatives that promote safety, awareness, and empowerment throughout British Columbia. Join us in our mission to tackle human trafficking and create a safer, more resilient community for all.
1-833-900-1010
On Feb 22nd, 2024, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the BC Lions were proud to join Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin and Susannah Pierce, Shell Canada president and country chair, as they unveiled the founding partners of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network of British Columbia.
The inaugural event took place at Covenant House Vancouver and the signing ceremony included 20 corporate and community founding partners, bringing together a network from diverse industries and services.
DID YOU KNOW?
• The vast majority of police-reported human trafficking victims are women and girls. Of the 3,103 detected victims of police-reported human trafficking in Canada from 2012 to 2022, approximately 94% were women and girls. Furthermore, approximately seven in 10 (69%) were under the age of 25.
• The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline recognized 2,170 human trafficking victims/survivors between 2019 and 2022.
• Indigenous women and girls, and Two-Spirit people are disproportionately affected by human trafficking. The Native Women’s Association of Canada reports that Indigenous women make up 50% of trafficked persons in Canada, despite representing only 4% of the population.
• The majority of human trafficking cases in Canada are for the purpose of sexual exploitation, forced labour and other forms of coercion. Research suggests that human trafficking intersects with other issues, such as homelessness, poverty, substance abuse and gender-based violence.
• These statistics underscore the urgent need for collaborative efforts to prevent human trafficking, support survivors and address the root causes of this crime. Through initiatives like the Human Trafficking Prevention Network of British Columbia, stakeholders are coming together to raise awareness, share resources and take decisive action against human trafficking in Canada.
• In 2022, the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking received more than 4,900 calls to the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline (1 833 900-1010), demonstrating the urgent need for support and intervention for victims, survivors, as well as for family members and friends. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please contact the hotline for assistance.
RESOURCES:
Learn More: For more information about the Human Trafficking Prevention Network and to read the statement of support, visit HERE
To learn more about the National Centre to End Human Trafficking’s T.A.L.K campaign and the hotline, visit HERE
Covenant House BC offers a comprehensive toolkit and resources for combatting human trafficking. To access these resources, visit HERE
To learn more about Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, visit HERE
To read about #NotInMyCity airport initiative, visit HERE
In addition to being YVR’s Human Trafficking Awareness partner, #NotInMyCity will host police from coast to coast at the second annual front-line human-trafficking investigator summit in Kelowna in April 2024. The first front-line human trafficking operational summit in Canadian history, called The Maddison Sessions (TMS), was held in 2023 and has been instrumental in facilitating a new no-borders approach to addressing and suppressing human trafficking in Canada.
