Sask. to help human trafficking victims tackle impacts of debt
CBC
The Saskatchewan government has introduced legislation aimed at protecting victims of human trafficking from coerced debt.
"This is about reducing dependency between victims and their traffickers, who often force victims to take out loans on their behalf and then prevent them from repaying them," Justice Minister Bronwyn Eyre said in a news release.
"We hope that these new protections will help vulnerable victims rebuild their lives without coerced debts hanging over their heads."
The Protection from Human Trafficking (Coerced Debts) Amendment Act, 2023 was introduced on Thursday morning.
The government said the legislation will "prohibit lenders from including information about coerced debts in credit reports and from taking coerced debts into account when evaluating a potential loan."
Once passed, the changes would allow victims to access a "private trauma-informed certification process" through the Ministry of Justice's victims services.
The government said this will "confirm a victim's history and debts incurred as a result." The applicant will be given a certificate when going to a credit reporting agency.
The new legislation is meant to prevent victims of trafficking from revealing traumatizing and private information to an agency, the Ministry of Justice said.
"The debts coerced upon human trafficking victims and survivors while they are being exploited often create significant barriers as they rebuild their lives," said Julia Drydyk, the executive director of The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking.
"Saskatchewan is one of the first provinces that are taking steps to address the financial abuse elements of human trafficking. The Centre encourages the Government of Saskatchewan to work closely with survivor experts and front-line agencies to ensure this legislation is implemented in a way that empowers survivors and reduces barriers to accessing support."
Last year, the government passed the Protection from Human Trafficking Act. The act streamlined the process for victims to seek a protection order. It also allowed victims to initiate a lawsuit against their traffickers and to seek financial compensation for harm suffered.
Other measures included new provisions for law enforcement to seek search warrants for residences or vehicles to locate a victim and remove them for safety reasons.
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