Grooming is a common way that traffickers target individuals. They build trust by presenting themselves as a friend or romantic partner, using attention and gifts to form a relationship that can later become controlling.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking remains a significant concern in Peel Region and across Canada. Due to Peel's proximity to major highways, airports, and large urban centres, the region is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking activities.
Many people are exploited through this crime, with young people among the most at-risk. Addressing human trafficking requires ongoing collaboration among law enforcement, community partners, governments, and the public to prevent exploitation and support those who are affected by sex and labour exploitation.
Learn more about our
Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy
Peel Regional Police, in collaboration with community partners, developed this strategy to strengthen prevention, coordinated intervention, enforcement, and survivor support efforts across Peel Region.
Understanding human trafficking
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking involves the recruitment, control, or movement of a person for the purpose of exploitation. It often involves:
- Coercion, manipulation, or deception
- Abuse of power or trust
- Exploitation for sexual purposes, forced labour or other forms of exploitation
Why it often goes unnoticed
Human trafficking is often hidden in plain sight. It can involve:
- Emotional manipulation instead of physical force
- Victims are isolated or controlled
- Situations that appear “normal” from the outside
Know the signs
- Sudden changes in behaviour, relationships or lifestyle
- Isolation from friends and family
- Being closely monitored or controlled
- Lack of access to money, ID or communication
Signs of control or exploitation
- Someone speaks for them or answers questions on their behalf
- Fearful, anxious or unable to leave a situation
- Working long hours with little or no pay
- Signs of physical or emotional abuse
- Secretive online activity or new contacts
- Receiving gifts, money or travel offers from unknown individuals
- Being pressured to share personal or explicit content
Who may be at higher risk
Certain factors may increase risk of exploitation, including:
- Low self-esteem
- Social isolation
- Economic hardship
- Lack of stable housing
- Experiences of violence or trauma
Systemic barriers to accessing support.can also increase vulnerability.
Peel Regional Police’s approach to addressing human trafficking
We work to:
- Raise community awareness through education and engagement
- Deliver training to high-risk sectors
- Train frontline workers to recognize early signs
- Partner with community organizations to reach underserved communities
We strengthen coordinated responses by:
- Connecting with other police services, schools, child welfare, and community services
- Using clear referral pathways to get people help quickly
- Sharing information to support timely, informed decisions
- Responding quickly to missing persons and risk situations
We work to disrupt trafficking by:
- Conducting intelligence-led investigations
- Partnering with regional and national law enforcement
- Using digital and financial evidence to identify offenders
- Targeting organized trafficking networks
- Holding offenders accountable through coordinated enforcement
We prioritize safety, dignity, and long-term recovery by:
- Supporting immediate safety planning and crisis response
- Connecting individuals to housing, counselling, health, and legal supports
- Providing trauma-informed services
- Supporting individuals through court processes
- Working with partners and survivors to improve services and supports
Get help and support
If you are concerned about someone
- Trust your instincts
- Speak to them in a safe and supportive way
- Avoid placing them in further danger
- Connect them with professional support
If someone discloses trafficking
- Listen without judgement
- Believe them
- Do not pressure them to act
- Help connect them to services
If you are in immediate danger, call 911
- Contact Peel Regional Police (emergency or non-emergency) 905-453-3311
- nCourage is an Anti-Human Trafficking Integrated Service Hub in Peel. They provide trauma informed, client-centered service, to victims/survivors and individuals at risk of human sex trafficking | 905-866-2831 | ncourage.ca | referrals@ncourage.ca
- Victim Services of Peel helps individuals impacted by sexual violence and human trafficking through trauma-informed care. Open 24 hours | (905) 568-1068
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline 1-833-900-1010 (24/7, confidential, multilingual) They provide crisis support, resources, and referrals across Canada. www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca | hotline@ccteht.ca
- Chantel's Place offers a comfortable, supportive and private atmosphere for survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | (905) 848-7580
- EFry Hope and help for Women helps women and girls safely leave trafficking. They offer, long term case management, educational programming for teens, educators and parents to help girls avoid exploitation | 905-459-1315
