In Canada, advocates for women’s rights are trying to dispel the myth that Aboriginal girls involved in prostitution participate willingly. In an article for the Winnipeg Sun, Tamara Cherry investigates how prostitution in Canada is often linked with domestic trafficking of Aboriginal women and girls. Anupriya Sethi, a woman who studies domestic trafficking issues, notes that “about 75% of Aboriginal girls under 18 have been sexually abused.” The article interviews a number of people involved in campaigns to raise awareness about trafficking of Aboriginal girls and women within Canada. Human traffickers often target Aboriginal girls and women because of their vulnerable position within Canadian society. Experts suggest that economic marginalization, past sexual and/or violent abuse, and racism can lead to trafficking and eventual prostitution of Aboriginal girls and women. To read full article, click here.
Compiled from: Cherry, Tamara, “Flesh Trade Targets Natives: Young Aboriginal women used as a sex commodity in cities across Canada”, Sun Media—Winnipeg Sun, 29 September, 2008.