Manitoba is spending $100,000 on International Women’s Day Wednesday to support Winnipeg’s sex trafficking awareness campaign led by the Joy Smith Foundation, Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced.
“Sex trafficking is a growing concern in communities across Manitoba, particularly putting young girls and women at risk, and the key to stopping continued exploitation is through education, increasing awareness and encouraging people who see the signs of trafficking to speak up,” said Goertzen.
“This funding will help the Joy Smith Foundation expand its public education efforts and help more people recognize and avoid falling victim to this crime while also helping survivors recover and move forward in their lives.”
The education campaign, launched at the end of February, is called ‘See the Trafficking Signs’ and it’s intended to prevent young Canadians from being lured into the sex trade.
“We are filled with gratitude to the Manitoba government for providing the funding to bring awareness about human trafficking through our ‘See the Trafficking Signs’ initiative,” said Janet Campbell, president and CEO of the Joy Smith Foundation.
“This valuable information will protect our families from being trafficked. Education is our greatest weapon to suppress this crime.”
Since its inception, the foundation has helped more than 6,000 human trafficking survivors and their families restore their lives by reuniting, healing and integrating back into their communities.
“It is crucial our youth become aware of how traffickers operate so they are empowered to protect themselves from becoming victimized,” said Joy Smith, founder of the Joy Smith Foundation.
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