Lynda Harlos shares story of her daughter's survival from sex trafficking in Sudbury

Lynda Harlos knows all too well that sex trafficking is not how it is portrayed in the movies.

Harlos is a public speaker and family coach who tells the story of her daughter's survival, and eventual escape from sex trafficking. She was the keynote speaker this week at an information session for parents, hosted by the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

"Well, typically people who have no firsthand knowledge of this at all or, or have not been educated already, think that sex trafficking looks like the movie Taken," she said.

"You know, where a kid gets thrown into the back of a van and shipped to another country and tied to a bed. But the sex trafficking, domestic sex trafficking, looks nothing like that. Typically, it looks like a relationship, and that relationship could be a boyfriend, it could be a parent figure, it could be a leader."

A sex trafficker targeted her daughter Samantha when she was in a vulnerable state.

Harlos said Samantha was gang raped and later became pregnant. She said a lot of people in Samantha's circle of friends and family did not believe her story, which left her vulnerable.

"And along came a man in her life and started promising that he would take care of her, that he believed her, that he would do whatever he could to help her," Harlos said.

She said over a period of time that man convinced Samantha to move in with him, and started trafficking her. 

Harlos said her daughter was sex trafficked for a four-month period before she got out. It took her eight more years to come to terms with what had happened to her, and realize she was a victim.

Today, both Harlos and Samantha share their story with parents, educators and law enforcement to help others be aware of the warning signs so other families don't have to experience the same trauma.

"Both her and I have decided that the best way to get victory over this would be to educate other parents, other families, other youth," Harlos said.

Harlos said Ontario remains a hub for sex trafficking, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of activity has moved online.

She said Samantha is doing well today. She is married, her son is 12 years old, and she is training to become a security guard.