The ALGOMA NEWS Review
Wednesday, April 11th, 2018
Library Update
NOT FOR SALE: Sex Trafficking In Ontario As a follow up to last month’s article titled Modern Slavery: Human Trafficking in Ontario, the focus of this article will be about sex trafficking (ST). I will explain in greater detail the operations of sex trafficking and how it affects us in our community. Additionally, this article will be focusing on domestic human trafficking (trafficking that occurs within our own borders), rather than International trafficking (trafficking that involves the import of victims across international borders). Within Canada, the most common type of human trafficking that has been documented is sex trafficking. Sex trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring and being in receipt of persons through means of threat, coercion, fraud, abduction and deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Although obtaining viable statistics to assess the populations most targeted by traffickers is not available, there is considerable data to indicate that the most common exploited group are Canadian women and girls, making up 90% of the targeted group, with the Aboriginal population being at higher risk. *Men and boys are also being trafficked but have been documented at lower numbers. Human Trafficking is a lucrative, illegal and organized crime. Its profits are tied with illegal arms as the 2nd largest criminal activity in the world, just behind illegal drugs. Revenue acquired through sex trafficking make up the majority of the profits. It is a multi-billion dollar industry and requires very little overhead. Transportation of people is a lot easier than transportation of drugs or firearms. As well, since the product is living, it can be used repeatedly and generates a steady stream of profit. That is of course until the traffickers decide that the victim is no longer valuable due to a decline in health or an increase in age. It is very hard to imagine people as product, but to human traffickers, that is all that a human life is. The physical damage to the victims is considerable – broken teeth, burns, malnutrition, forced tattoos and sexually transmitted infections are common. The use of drugs and/or alcohol to control the victims is also very common. The pimps exercise physical control over the victims and over time the control is as much psychological as it
is physical. The locks and chains are often PERCEIVED LOCKS/CHAINS. The traffickers have brainwashed their victims and have so much control over them that the victims really believe that they cannot leave their situation. The psychological damage inflicted upon victims of human trafficking is so extensive and complex, it takes years of healing and mental health interventions to get these girls back to a place where they can begin their healing journey. Pimps know that by shifting between acting caring and threatening is a good way to keep their victims feeling loyal and intimidated. The psychological abuse is so effective that traffickers have been known to spend years grooming a victim because they know once he has her under his control, it is extremely hard for her to escape his mental bondage. This is why it is so important for people to recognize that this is happening and to spread the word and equip our youth and community with knowledge so that we can fight the battle through preventative measures. Human trafficking and sex trafficking are ghost crimes; masked behind deceptive relationships and held in place by fear and shame. If you want to know more about sex trafficking and what you can do to equip yourself and or your children against it, please feel free to contact me at our office. There are resources available specifically to parents, service providers and community members that will be of great assistance in helping you fight this battle. If we can unite as a community through education and awareness about the prevalence of sex trafficking in Ontario, we may help prevent one of our youth from becoming a trafficked victim. *It is important to note that traffickers and victims can be of any sex, religion, age and race. The crime does not discriminate. For the purpose of this article and future articles, I will be referring to traffickers as male and victims as female as it is representative of the majority of human trafficking cases involving sexual exploitation. Wawa and Area Victim Services Erin Bishop Anti-Human Trafficking Resource Coordinator 705.856.7852
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New & Improved Hours at the Wawa Public Library Our hours are now Monday-Friday (inclusive) 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., and Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The library will be closed Sundays and all holidays. Come on down to the library! We look forward to seeing you! New Books New books on the seven day fiction shelf this week: "The Woman Left Behind" by Linda Howard, "The Bishop's Happenings at by Steve Berry, and First United Church Pawn" "An American Marriage" by 224 Mission Rd. Box 221 Wawa Tayari Jones. New on the seven day nonON POS 1KO The congregation welcomes fiction shelf: "Happiness is everyone to Worship at First a Choice You Make" by John United Church. Services are held Leland. After School Programs on Sunday at 11:00 a.m. If anyone has a question or concern please On Tuesday, we have Craft leave a message on the answer- Club, Wednesday is Clay ing machine at the Church 705- Club, Thursday is Cartoon 856-2926. CHURCH OFFICE Club, and Friday is Game HOURS - Thurs. 1:00 -3:00 p.m. Day. All clubs are 3:30-4:30 Roberta requests that an appoint- p.m. for ages 4-12 and anyment be made. Please call one under the age of 6 must 705-856-2926 & leave a message. be accompanied by an adult. The Easter Cross of Lights is in Come on down to the Wawa place above the front door of the Public Library and participate Church. Its light shines forth to in our after school programs. commemorate the resurrection Drop Box of our Lord. Thank you to the Our drop box is in place for Reid Family & all who made this your convenience. You may possible. deposit your returns only in April the drop box when the library Sun. April 8th - During Morning Worship 28 more Prayer Shawls is closed. were Blessed & are now ready to Staff Picks for the Month of April: be given when a need arises. Thurs. April 12th - Thrift Shop "Shadow Play" by Iris Begins at 5:00 p.m. Please see the Johansen, "The Liar" by Nora Ad on Page 10 of The Algoma Roberts, "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes" by Diane News for more details. Sun. April 15th - Roberta will be Chamberlain, and "Random away Kaireen will lead a short- Passage" by Bernice Morgan. ened Morning Worship to be "Random Passage" - The chill followed by Trudy Dunham who Atlantic lies between Lavinia will instruct us in Basic First Aid Andrews and the England Training. A warm welcome is she loves after a shattering extended to the Congregation of incident topples her famSt. Paul’s to join us. ily's fortunes. Shocked, she Tues. April 17th - Pack Up after can barely comprehend that the Thrift Shop at 10:00 a.m. the Andrews family will call ALL HELP WELCOME No Random Passage home from Heavy Lifting now on - this tiny settlement Thurs. April 19th - Worship perched on rock between Committee - 9 :30 a.m. dense forest and the inhosSun. April 22nd - Official Board pitable ocean. Wresting their Meeting Following Morning survival from the sparse soil Worship and the capricious ocean, Come worship Jesus, our Risen Lavinia, her sisters and Lord. brothers, their families, and their mother work side by side with the capable Vincent family, the determined and mysterious Mary Bundle, and the enigmatic storekeeper Thomas Hutchings, who might have been a priest or a murderer. As the tiny outport community struggles for survival, it must deal with the threat of starvation and fatal illness, with surprise attacks by privateers and a savage polar bear, Winter Gloves $6.99 & Up!
with tragic loves marked by madness and murder. (Book Jacket) Used Battery Collection & Computer Cartridge Recycling We are a collection site for single use batteries, computer cartridges and toners. You can drop them off at the circulation desk at the Wawa Public Library. Come on in and check out our great selection of books, magazines, DVD's, Blu-rays, Audiobooks, French books, and more. And don't forget our awesome Children's collection! The Wawa Public Library also has many other services available such as photocopying, faxing, laminating, printing, and conversion of VHS to DVD. Telephone - 705-8562244 ext 290 for the circulation desk or ext 291 to reach the librarian's office, or email us at mtpl@wawa.cc. Public Access Computers, Ipads & WiFi WiFi is available at the library - please register at the circulation desk if you are accessing our library Wifi. We need to track the usage for statistical purposes. Thank you! We have 2 public computers as well as 3 I-pads available for public use. Please inquire at the circulation desk. Board Meetings The Wawa Public Library Board meetings are held the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Council Chambers. The next meeting will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Municipality. Everyone is welcome! Check out the Wawa History page as well as The Wawa Public Library on Facebook. Our Wawa History website is www.wawahistory.wawa.cc Remember - library membership is FREE to residents of the Municipality of Wawa and contracting communities.