Human trafficking

About human trafficking

Human trafficking is a complex crime that largely affects women and girls. It is considered a modern form of slavery.

The two most common forms of human trafficking in Canada are sex trafficking and labour trafficking. Sex trafficking involves recruiting, transporting, holding, or hiding a person for sexual exploitation purposes. Labour trafficking involves recruiting, transporting or holding someone to force them into doing any kind of work.

Traffickers often manipulate the person they are trafficking by making promises of a better life or a relationship, while exploiting people’s vulnerabilities such as:

• poverty
• social isolation
• homelessness or precarious housing situations
• child abuse or neglect
• addictions
• mental health issues
• lack of education and employment opportunities

Human trafficking is often confused with human smuggling. The differences between human smuggling and human trafficking:

Human trafficking can happen:

• in current or past intimate relationships
• within families
• between friends or acquaintances
• between strangers
• in person or online

Anyone can experience human trafficking anywhere in Canada, but some people are at higher risk:

• women and girls
• Indigenous women and girls
• migrants and newcomers
• 2SLGBTQI+ individuals
• children and youth in the welfare system
• those who are socially or economically disadvantaged

Impacts of human trafficking

Human trafficking can have serious and long-lasting effects that may continue even after the exploitation has ended.

Physical impacts can include:

• minor to severe injury
• short and long-term health conditions
• stress-related illnesses (including heart problems, stomach issues, weakened immune system)
• substance abuse and addiction
• death

Mental health or emotional impacts can include:

• depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• feelings of shame, stress and fear

Victims and survivors of human trafficking often work and live in horrific conditions and suffer extensive human rights violations and trauma including physical, sexual, financial, and psychological abuse.^{Footnote 2} Victims and survivors are often isolated and don’t have control of their own money, identification documents (passport, driver’s license, health card, etc.), work locations, living arrangements and personal relationships.

How to respond to human trafficking

If you experience or witness human trafficking, there are safe ways to respond.

If you are experiencing human trafficking: 

• talk to someone you trust
• get help from a local victim service
• contact the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
• report the situation to the authorities

If you see someone else experiencing human trafficking:

• reach out to offer support and resources
• talk to someone you trust
• report the situation to the authorities

For more information, visit the resources section below.

Facts and statistics on human trafficking

The extent of human trafficking in Canada is difficult to determine due to the hidden nature of the crime, the reluctance of victims and survivors and witnesses to come forward,^{Footnote 3}  and the challenges in identifying victims and survivors.

Overall, human trafficking rates have varied over the last decade, with some years showing higher rates than others.

• In terms of year-over-year trends, the number of police-reported human trafficking incidents has increased steadily since 2014. In 2023, 605 human trafficking incidents were reported to police, and 608 incidents across Canada were reported 2024^{Footnote 4} 
• Between 2014 and 2024, over 5,070 incidents of human trafficking were reported to police. On average, that’s about 1.2 incidents for every 100,000 people each year. The largest jump in reports happened between 2018 and 2019 (from 355 incidents to 546)^{Footnote 5} 
• The number of victims of human trafficking remained relatively stable in 2020 (553 victims) and in 2021 (555 victims), with a 5% increase in 2022 (596 victims)^{Footnote 6}

Human trafficking can happen to anyone, but some groups experience higher rates than others.

• From 2014 to 2024, the vast majority of identified victims of human trafficking were women and girls. In 2024 specifically, women and girls represented 93% of the victims, while a small proportion (7%) were men and boys^{Footnote 7}  
• In addition to women and girls, populations at heightened risk include Indigenous women, girls and children, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, migrants and newcomers, and children and youth in the welfare system^{Footnote 8} 
• Among women and girls trafficked between 2014 and 2024, 63% were under the age of 25, including 22% who were minors (under 18). By contrast, most male victims (88%) were adults, with the largest group being aged 25 to 34^{Footnote 9} 
• While there isn’t enough national data on Indigenous victims, research from Indigenous organizations shows that Indigenous women and girls experience much higher rates of sexual exploitation^{Footnote 10}

More often than not, human traffickers are men and boys, although that is not always the case.

• Between 2014 and 2024, there were 2,838 persons accused of police-reported human trafficking. The large majority of the people accused (82%) were men and boys, while 18% were women and girls. The ratio hasn’t changed much over time^{Footnote 11}  
• Research indicates that the roles of women and girls in human trafficking cases are often complex. Some may have previously experienced trafficking, may remain under the control of traffickers, or may play limited roles, such as recruiting other victims^{Footnote 12} 
• The median age of women and girls accused of human trafficking between 2014 and 2024 was 23 years, compared to 27 years for men and boys. Among the 105 youths accused between 2013 and 2024, girls and boys were more evenly represented (58% boys; 42% girls)^{Footnote 13}

Most often, traffickers are not strangers although victims and survivors do not “know” their traffickers in any meaningful sense. These relationships are based on lies and manipulation, with traffickers posing as romantic partners, friends, or protectors to build false trust, isolate victims and survivors, and maintain control.

• Consistent with prior trends, police-reported human trafficking incidents between 2014 and 2024, most often involved victims and accused persons who were intimate partners (34%), acquaintances (22%), or criminal (12%) or business (12%) associates^{Footnote 14} 
• Some traffickers pretend to have romantic relationships to recruit and control victims before exploiting them^{Footnote 15}

Human trafficking can be hard to detect for many reasons and it is often even harder to bring the traffickers to court.

• Prosecuting human trafficking cases poses unique challenges, including proving control, coercion, or exploitation of the victim or survivor. Evidence often relies heavily on victim testimony, which may be affected by trauma, fear of retaliation, or mistrust of authorities. Defence lawyers may also try to make victims seem less credible by referencing immigration status, past crimes, or personal relationships with the accused^{Footnote 16} 
• Since 2013, more than half (58%) of police-reported trafficking incidents have not been solved, often because the investigation is still happening, there isn’t enough evidence, or the suspected trafficker hasn’t been identified^{Footnote 17} 
• Overall, there have been more trafficking cases in court over recent years. From 2013–2014 to 2023–2024, Canadian adult criminal courts completed 1,281 cases involving approximately 4,500 human trafficking charges. Only about 10% resulted in a guilty verdict. This shows how hard it is to secure convictions for these crimes^{Footnote 18}

Resources for victims and survivors of human trafficking

• Women and Gender Equality Canada’s (WAGE) Get help now page provides resources for immediate support
• The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is available for 24/7 confidential support for victims, survivors and witnesses
• Visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) website to report human trafficking
• Public Safety Canada offers a wide range of support for victims and survivors

Learn more about GBV and human trafficking

• Learn more about gender-based violence
• Visit Public Safety Canada’s website to learn more about human trafficking
• Discover what the two most common forms of human trafficking are in Canada:
  • Labour trafficking
  • Sex trafficking

Other GBV-related fact sheets

• Technology-facilitated gender-based violence
• Intimate partner violence
• Family violence
• Economic abuse