Human trafficking survivor speaks at event to raise awareness about rising rates

Krystal Brooks was just 16 when she became a victim of human trafficking, an ordeal she shared during a human trafficking awareness event at Georgian College on Monday, held in honour of Red Dress Day.

"I don't like sharing my story, [but] I share it because there are so few stories out there. It's very hard to share," revealed the Rama First Nation woman.

"I think the biggest thing I want people to know is that we all play a role in combatting human trafficking, and where missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people are concerned, we all play a role in that," Brooks added.

In Simcoe County, human trafficking rates are more than two times the national average, and 50 per cent of trafficked women are Indigenous.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts
• Get the latest updates sent to your email

Amy Vanderzyde, Mental Health and Addiction Anti-Human Trafficking liaison at Ontario Native Women's Association (ONWA) highlighted the County's vulnerability to trafficking due to its location along major highways.

"Simcoe County is this great stopping point along the highway where you're seeing it. It takes the average survivor seven times to successfully exit trafficking, and, you know, that number is increasing," said Vanderzyde.

"This isn't just an Indigenous peoples' problem. Human trafficking is a Simcoe County problem, it's an Ontario problem, it's a nationwide problem, and the more that we have conversations about it, the more we can ensure the issue is being combatted," Georgian College Indigenization Initiatives lead Tiffany McCue.

Vanderzyde pointed to signs of human trafficking, including unusual groupings of people at rest stops along highways and indicators of physical abuse or malnourishment, that the public should be aware of.

"If you're driving along the 401 and you're stopping at an ONroute there could be a car full of women and one guy, or a guy and girl, and malnourishment is a really big thing. Bruising and lack of eye contact is a really big one," noted Vanderzyde, adding that anyone who suspects human trafficking should call the Canadian human trafficking hotline or the authorities.