She first tried drugs at age 12, and by 15 she was a full-on addict and used drugs every day. That's when she started to sell sex to support her habit. By age 20, she was in a very dark place. She shared her story March 17 at a conference on sex trafficking also known as human trafficking for social service agencies which was organized by Greater Sudbury Police and Sudbury and Area Victims Services.
After a while, the men who'd befriended K. That's how K. There's a difference, she explains, between being the victim of trafficking and being involved in sex work. But that isn't the case with all sex workers, who could be involved in the activity by choice. She's now a peer support worker for East Metro Youth Services , giving presentations to raise awareness of trafficking and helping victims. She wants young people who might be going through some of the same experiences to know they're not alone, and there's people that can help.
Sudbury and Area Victims Services crisis response co-ordinator Nicole St-Jean said her organization helps trafficking victims get back on track by helping them access social assistance and medical services. They'll even pay for tattoo removal — sometimes people who have been trafficked are branded with their pimp's name, she said.
People seem to have the perception that trafficking is a big-city problem and doesn't happen here, but that's not the case, St-Jean said. Dan Despatie of the Greater Sudbury Police said police can lay charges against traffickers, but he says police alone can't solve the problem. That's why police work with social service agencies. If you would like to apply to become a Verified Commenter , please fill out this form. Home Local News Northern Ontario girl explains how she became a victim of sex trafficking 'So now you're in the state where I will pretty much do anything to please him'.
Heidi Ulrichsen Mar 18, PM. Share by Email. She got to know some men who met her every need and showered her with compliments and presents.
