Anti-human trafficking official says Windsor sees up to 200 cases a year. New tool could help victims
CBC
Bianca Colaluca hopes a new tool that connects victims of crime with community programs and resources via social media can support people being trafficked in the region.
The anti-human trafficking project coordinator for the Windsor-Essex Counter Exploitation Network (WECEN) says it's about getting people to a safe place as soon as possible.
"A lot of people actually think that human trafficking is such a large issue here because we are a border city, when in reality it's because we're on the 401 corridor," Colaluca said. "
"We see roughly between 150 and 200 cases a year, and that includes labour trafficking, marriage trafficking and sex trafficking."
WATCH | WPS CARES video about its victim/witness assistance program
The new tool is called WPS CARES, which stands for Windsor Police Service — Community Accessible Resource Education Support.
Organizer, and Windsor police staff sergeant, Patti Pastorius says it uses "informative" videos posted across social media platforms — YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The program is meant for vulnerable victims, she says, so people who are suffering from things such as intimate partner violence, human trafficking, child abuse and sexual assault.
"And each of those links can be shared through text message, email," Pastorius said.
"We can send victims information immediately."
According to Pastorius, the videos are a new take on pamphlets that are handed out when police first arrive at a scene — which are still being circulated.
"This day and age with technology, I tried to think of an innovative way that we could get that information out there."
There's a series of sticker collections and QR codes, directing people to the videos, that are also being handed out by officers on the road, says Pastorius.
"When people come in contact with calls for service or to victims, they can give that information out to the victims immediately.
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