Human trafficking services and supports
Find organizations across Ontario that help survivors of human trafficking and learn about supports that are available.
If there is immediate danger or if you suspect someone is being trafficked, call 911 or your local police service.
If you need support but are not in immediate danger, you can contact the human trafficking hotline:
Services for victims of human trafficking
Services during COVID-19
Some services may be affected due to COVID-19 as everyone must follow the regional health measures in your zone. Please contact your nearest service provider for information and to find out what support is available.
Find services in the community
Survivors can access services from a range of community-based organizations, many of which also work to prevent at-risk people from being trafficked.
This is a list of all service providers funded through the Community Supports Fund as part of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. This includes service providers funded in 2020 to increase services for children and youth and add more programs that are led by survivors and designed by and for Indigenous people.
| Organization | City |
|---|---|
| SafeHope Home | Ajax |
| Victim Services Leeds and Grenville | Brockville |
| Guelph Wellington Women in Crisis | Guelph |
| Sudbury and Area Victim Services | Greater Sudbury |
| Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Services of Halton | Halton (Oakville) |
| Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara | Hamilton/Niagara |
| Women’s Resources of Kawartha Lakes | Kawartha Lakes |
| Ontario Native Women’s Association | Kenora, Lakefield, Midland, Niagara, Orillia, Ottawa, Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Toronto |
| Addiction Services of Thames Valley | London |
| London Abused Women's Centre | London |
| Huronia Transition Homes | Midland |
| BridgeNorth | Newmarket |
| Cedar Centre | Newmarket |
| YWCA Niagara Region | Niagara |
| Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services | Northwestern Ontario |
| Kenora Sexual Assault Centre | Northwestern Ontario |
| A New Day Youth and Adult Services | Ottawa |
| Roberts – Smart Centre | Ottawa |
| Voice Found | Ottawa |
| Youturn Youth Support Services | Ottawa |
| Women’s Centre (Grey & Bruce), Inc. | Owen Sound |
| Regional Municipality of Peel | Peel Region |
| Victim Services of Renfrew County | Renfrew |
| Sexual Assault Survivors Centre Sarnia-Lambton | Sarnia |
| Algoma Family Services | Sault Ste. Marie |
| Centre Passerelle pour femmes du Nord de l'Ontario | Timmins |
| Boost Child and Youth Advocacy Centre | Toronto |
| Covenant House | Toronto |
| East Metro Youth Services | Toronto |
| Elspeth Heyworth Centre for Women | Toronto |
| FCJ Refugee Centre | Toronto |
| Montage Support Services | Toronto |
| Project iRise | Toronto |
| SickKids Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Program | Toronto |
| Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region | Waterloo |
| Legal Assistance of Windsor | Windsor |
| Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions and York Region Children’s Aid Society |
York and Simcoe |
| Women's Support Network of York Region | York (Newmarket) |
| 360˚kids | York (Richmond Hill) |
Regional anti-human trafficking coalitions
Find out about prevention and awareness initiatives in local communities. The coalitions also bring together social service agencies, victim services, health care centres, police and educational institutions. To find an anti-human trafficking coalition in your region, contact the Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Office.
Children at risk of exploitation (CARE) units
CARE units are specialized teams of child protection workers and police officers that work with anti-human trafficking community service partners to help:
- identify, locate and engage children who are at risk of sex trafficking
- connect those who have been trafficked with the supports they need
- hold offenders accountable
Services for Indigenous communities
Services during COVID-19
Some services may be affected due to COVID-19 as everyone must follow the regional health measures in your zone. Please contact your nearest service provider for information and to find out what support is available.
Indigenous-led services
Indigenous survivors can get counselling, cultural programming, addictions treatment and leadership development services.
This is a list of all service providers funded through the Indigenous-led Initiatives Fund as part of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. This includes service providers funded in 2020 to increase services for children and youth and add more programs led by survivors and designed by and for Indigenous people.
| Organization | Location |
|---|---|
| Fort Frances Tribal Area Health Services | Fort Frances |
| Native Women Incorporated, Hamilton Wentworth chapter | Hamilton |
| Kenora Chiefs Advisory | Kenora |
| Ontario Native Women’s Association | Kenora, Lakefield, Midland, Niagara, Orillia, Ottawa, Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Toronto |
| Atlohsa Family Healing Services | London |
| Minwaashin Lodge Indigenous Women's Support Centre | Ottawa |
| Métis Nation of Ontario | Ottawa |
| Tungasuvvingat Inuit | Ottawa |
| Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health | Ottawa |
| Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services | Six Nations of the Grand River |
| Beendigen Inc. | Thunder Bay |
| Indige-Spheres to Empowerment | Thunder Bay |
| Timmins and Area Women in Crisis | Timmins |
| Native Child and Family Services of Toronto | Toronto |
| Native Women's Resource Centre Toronto | Toronto |
Anti-human-trafficking Indigenous liaisons
Organizations and communities can work with Indigenous anti-human trafficking liaisons to get help offering culturally appropriate services for survivors who identify as First Nations, Métis and Inuit. For more information, contact the Ontario Native Women’s Association.
Indigenous human trafficking awareness
Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking is an educational campaign focused on raising awareness about sexual exploitation among Indigenous women and youth. You can get:
- information on the website
- downloadable materials for distribution in communities
- a discussion guide that includes culturally relevant activities to help leaders and caregivers facilitate conversations with youth and provide support
This campaign was designed by Indigenous people.
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
Canada has a dedicated, confidential, 24/7 human trafficking hotline.
The hotline is for:
- victims seeking help
- people with a tip to report a potential case
- members of the public wanting to learn more about the subject
Search for services available across Canada, including Ontario.
Housing and legal support
People who have experienced human trafficking or domestic abuse can contact their local municipal service manager to find out how they can apply for priority access to social housing or help paying rent. Some frontline agencies can also help survivors apply for a monthly rent subsidy.
Survivors, people at risk of human trafficking and parents or guardians of a child at risk of trafficking can get free legal help to apply for a restraining order against a current, past or potential trafficker.
Support in Ontario’s justice system
Ontario’s justice system offers several services for human trafficking survivors, including:
- support through the criminal justice system
- access to emergency funding for services like tattoo removal, addiction recovery and ID replacement
Service providers can refer clients to Victim Crisis Assistance Ontario agencies.. You can also find support using the victim services directory and the victim support line:
Service providers can refer clients to victim services. You can also find support using the victim services directory and the victim support line:
Human trafficking prosecution team
Ontario has a human trafficking prosecution team composed of specialized Crown prosecutors who are responsible for handling human trafficking cases, providing legal advice to police and prosecutors, and delivering enhanced education and training within the justice sector.
This team possesses specialized knowledge to prosecute cases, such as alternatives to in-court testimony (for example, via videoconference or testifying with supports) and can support a victim through the court process.
Prevention and education programs
Many human trafficking community service organizations provide prevention programs and initiatives. These include specialized youth-in-transition workers, to help prevent vulnerable youth transitioning out of care from victimization, and to connect human trafficking survivors to appropriate services and resources. If you’re interested in the youth-in-transition worker program you can get access with a referral from either the local children’s aid society, or a relevant service provider.
Contact service organizations directly to learn about their prevention programs.
Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking
The Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking campaign is a suite of resources for Indigenous youth, caregivers, service provider organizations and communities. The campaign aims to raise awareness about sex trafficking in Ontario and help stop the trafficking of Indigenous women, children, youth and LGBTQ2S people.
“The Trap” human trafficking digital education tool
The Trap is an online resource to teach children and youth what human trafficking is and equip them with the skills to stay safe. It was developed with help from frontline service providers and trafficking survivors. The tool can help adults lead a realistic discussion with youth about how trafficking occurs, so young people can identify when it may be happening to them or their friends, and know where and how to get help.
The role of schools
School boards must have protocols that include:
- raising awareness and understanding of sex trafficking, including the urgency and complexity of combatting sex trafficking
- response and support procedures for students who are at risk or being sex trafficked, or who may be involved in the grooming and recruitment of other students
- training for school board employees, educators and administrators and other school staff
- approaches to support accountability and evaluation
School boards should work with parents and guardians, students and local partners, such as persons with lived experience, Indigenous organizations and communities, anti-human trafficking committees, survivor led-organizations, community-based service providers, police services and child welfare agencies to develop and implement their protocols.
Read Ontario’s Anti-Sex Trafficking Policy to learn about school boards’ local anti-sex trafficking protocols.
Contact your school or school board to learn more.
Youth Violence and Human Trafficking Prevention Program
The Youth Violence and Human Trafficking Prevention Program is a prevention-focused initiative that is part of Ontario’s Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy and supports Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. Programs are available in Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Toronto and neighbouring Indigenous communities and can be accessed by contacting the local service providers.
Training for service providers
Anyone who wants to learn about human trafficking can get free online foundational training.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health also has free online training for addiction and mental health workers.
Police training
Police officers receive specialized training at the Ontario Police College on how to investigate and respond to human trafficking cases using victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches. Police also receive intelligence-gathering support for human trafficking cases through Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario.
