7 minute read
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Work Throughout the Territory
from Fight For Freedom: Territorial Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Work Impact Report 2021
MSHTR Work Throughout the Territory
The Salvation Army is committed to serving victims, survivors and their families and friends, and reducing the demand of MSHTthrough our programs across Canada and Bermuda. These programs range from outreach, emergency housing, short-term and long-term housing, live-in rehabilitation services, employment training, peer support, drop-in centres, and case management. Here is what we are doing...
British Columbia Division
Illuminate.
The Salvation Army’s Illuminate operates six direct MSHTR services and initiatives in Canada for survivors of MSHT. They boldly disrupt the cycles of human trafficking by illuminating public awareness through education, relentless intervention strategies and safe places for survivors to heal, as well as establishing networks that build back extraordinary lives for those affected in Canada. Their services and initiatives include:
PROPEL Survivor Development Centre: Is an outreach program offered to survivors ages 16 and up residing within the general population. Offered digitally and in-person, participants can engage in full-time or part-time education, training, mentorship, secondstage housing subsidies, employment programs (such as barista and cosmetology training), survivor-led case management, and registered clinical therapy.
DEBORAH’S GATE Safe House: Is a high-security safe house and live-in program for female-presenting survivors ages 16 and up. Survivors have access to full-time programming customized to their needs, individual bedrooms, registered clinical therapy, and beautiful, safe learning spaces to begin the road of healing.
RENEW Mental Health and Addictions:Is a full-time, part-time or online program offering promising practice treatment programming that focuses on trauma, addictions, and mental health in a specialized and multi-modal delivery.
LIVING HOPE Life and Living Skills Program: Provides specialized online and inperson education, activities, and events that strengthen and enrich the undertakings of daily living, employment, education, volunteering and social development of survivors.
SHIFT Survivor-Led Research Initiatives: Conducts research to learn and respond to the unique complexities of this issue in Canada with survivor leaders engaged in the development, implementation and evaluation of each research initiative.
United Nations Financial Access Project:As the host site of multiple national financial access projects, Illuminate partners with major financial institutions to give equitable access to survivors of MSHTto develop economic independence and financial viability for their future. This project is done in partnership with the United Nations Finance Against Modern Slavery Initiative.
All programming offered is specialized for survivors of MSHTand developed in-house with survivor collaboration, utilizing a trauma-informed, culturally integrative, and de-colonizing praxis.
www.illuminateht.com
Prairie Division
The Salvation Army’s Winnipeg and Surrounding Area CJS operates three direct MSHTR services and initiatives in Canada for both victims and survivors of MSHT and perpetrators and sex purchasers. Through key partnerships, funding agreements and collaborations, they challenge the systems and structures that promote and sustain MSHT through instrumental short- and long-term assistance to victims and survivors and a continued focus on reducing the demand. Their services and initiatives include:
Women Seeking Alternatives Program (WSA): Is a community-based alternative measures program that supports women and gender diverse individuals who have been or are being sexually exploited through prostitution by offering them an alternative to the court process that avoids the punitive aspects of a criminal record, jail terms, probation, and/or fines. This program includes education, therapeutic and recreational components connecting participants to community supports. Successful completion of this program results in no conviction or a reduced sentence for the committed offence and equips participants with greater self-awareness, increased coping skills, opportunities to exit sexually exploitative situations and address homelessness and/or substance use. This program is offered in partnership with Manitoba Justice (Public Prosecutions and Probations Services) and the Winnipeg Police Service.
Trafficked Persons Response Network: In partnership with local, provincial, and First Nation organizations and agencies, Winnipeg and Surrounding Area CJS helps to support victims and survivors of MSHT in need of practical food and non-food items, shelter, survivor-led case management, legal and medical assistance and trauma counselling.
The Prostitution Offender Program (POP):Is a community-based alternative measures program offered to those who have been arrested as consumers/purchasers of sex. The full-day seminar section of the program includes educational and therapeutic components meant to instruct participants on health considerations, Canadian MSHT and prostitution law, the implications of a criminal record, the impact their actions have on the community and their families, and the realities, harm and trauma caused to those entrapped in prostitution, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
www.sacjswinnipeg.ca
Ontario Division
The Salvation Army’s London and surrounding area CJS operates seven direct MSHTR services and initiatives in Canada for both victims and survivors of MSHT. Led and informed by survivors, they provide safe and innovating spaces for victims and survivors to be heard and supported as they journey towards their well-being, effective intervention and advocacy strategies, and intentional engagement to reduce the demand. Their services and initiatives include:
Phoenix Peer Support Outreach Program:Led by Peer Survivor Support and Outreach Workers, this program focuses on preventing MSHTand supporting women/girl survivors and their families in their journey towards well-being through outreach, case management, referrals, access to support group sessions, provision of hygiene kits and clothing, and assistance in navigating NGO and government systems and structures.
Emergency Kits: Are provided to the London Police and OPP to distribute to victims exiting situations of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Outreach and Prevention Supports: Includes assistance with appointments and services (legal, medical, court, dental, and counselling, etc.) including accompaniment, help with transportation, assistance with application forms, and finding information/answers that create barriers to accessing services. Support is also provided to victims and survivors in accessing food banks, meal programs, daycare supports, momsand-tots and new mom programming, and housing issues.
Prevention Awareness and Education: Is provided through public presentation to churches, social groups, educational institutions, NGOs, and civil-sector actors throughout the year.
The Dignity Project Evening Virtual Drop-In:Is private and secure digital meetings that have temporarily replaced their weekly drop-in group during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this safe space, victims and survivors can connect with supportive community, Peer Survivor Support Workers, and be referred to Nurse Practitioners as needed.
London and Surrounding Area CJS...
Journey to Justice:
In collaboration with London Abused ’Womens Centre, Youth Opportunities Unlimited and WAYS Mental Health Support, this program uses evidencebased,promising intervention practices to enhance support and equitable access to justice for victims and survivors of MSHT. Using trauma-informed, survivor centred, - crosssectoral, wrap around - supports, resources and tools, Salvation Army Outreach Workers provide survivors with support when reporting to law enforcement; information about the criminal justice system to make informed choices; court accompaniment; assistance accessing victim compensation and taking social justice action;and needed advocacy with law enforcement and within the criminal justice system.
Sex-Buyers Accountability Program: Is a community-based alternative measures program offered to those who have been arrested for purchasing sex. This full-day program seeks to educate sex buyers on the realities of prostitution and human trafficking. The program consists of speakers from the community, videos and group discussions. Topics include: Canadian MSHT, prostitution law and the Equality Model, the implications of a criminal record, the impact their actions have on the community and their families, and the realities, harm and trauma caused to those entrapped in prostitution, sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The goal of this program is to provide accountability and education while addressing the demand for paid sex as a path to abolition of the sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of women and children.
www.cjslondon.ca
Ontario Division
Toronto Harbour Light Immigration and Refugee Services (IRS).
Toronto Harbour Light IRS strives to incorporate MSHTR work into their daily operations and programming for immigrants, refugees, newcomers and participants of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. This includes:
Assisting victims and survivors in their application for their Temporary Resident Permits.
Assisting victims and survivors in the gathering of documentation and filling-out of forms.
Assisting victims and survivors in applying for lost passports and other forms of personal identification.
Distributing MSHTinformation to clients to bring awareness and education.
Providing spiritual and pastoral care to victims and survivors.
The Salvation Army is committed to ending slavery and human trafficking in our world. Our Fight For FreedomTerritorial Strategy focuses on four key areas in order to be part of the solution. Here is how we are doing for each:
