According to the
Native Women's Association of Canada, the overrepresentation of
Indigenous women and girls in sexual exploitation and trafficking in Canada has been explored on repeated occasion through a span of years. The impacts of
colonialism seemed to have remain as the identified root cause, including "the legacies of the
residential schools and their inter-generational effects, family violence, childhood abuse, poverty, homelessness, lack of basic survival necessities,
race and
gender-based discrimination, lack of education, migration, and substance addictions." Research into human trafficking in Canada shows that Aboriginal women and children are the majority of those trafficked domestically. Sometimes girls are made to recruit other girls, their motivation is frequently not their own economic profit but fear of violence from their own trafficker if they refuse or fail to bring in someone else. Aboriginal girls, particularly in rural communities, are sometimes lured through communications with traffickers in the city who promise them employment (in respectable jobs, not trafficking).
Hitchhiking is more of a direct approach, where girls are picked up attempting to relocate or travel, and are pushed into
sexual exploitation. Gangs use similar recruitment methods as other more straightforward traffickers. Many identified that
drug addiction was a popular tool for
gangs, seemingly over that of force, for achieving these women’s compliance. "For vulnerable Aboriginal youth, often faced with low self-esteem and a lack of sense of belonging, gangs can offer both of these through enrollment". Systemic discrimination in terms of overrepresentation in the
criminal justice system and the overrepresentation in the child welfare system factor largely in the vulnerability of these women and girls, which can lead to being trafficked. Education is crucial, both for potential "victims" and those around them, including the community. Education refers to being educated on the difference between healthy relationships and unhealthy ones (specifically, sexually exploitive relationships). Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the promotion of
women’s equality come into focus. "These should be pursued in laws and policies that focus on reducing harm against women Many Aboriginal women in prostitution do not participate in the
sex trade by choice and have been a "victim" of
childhood abuse and sex trafficking. Aboriginal women have the right to protection and safety of the law regardless of the views of others that they are choosing
prostitution. Article 8c of the (UNDRIP) asserts that "States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, and redress for any form of forced population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or undermining any of the rights of Indigenous Peoples." Indigenous women and girls are overrepresented in the
sex trade and are at a higher risk of being trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation. This is a complete violation of their
human rights and States have an obligation to invest effective mechanisms, interventions, programs and services to address this issue. Indigenous women are often recruited into the sex trade when they are still children. Article 17 reaffirms that States shall "in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples take specific measure to protect Indigenous children from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child’s education, or to be harmful to the child’s health or physical, mental, spiritual, oral or social development."
Trafficking,
prostitution, and
commercial sexual exploitation of Aboriginal women and girls are all forms of extreme
violence against women. They are repeatedly exposed to acts of violence,
sexual violence,
trauma, and
torture. Article 22 of the UNDRIP recognizes the responsibility of States to take measure to "ensure that Indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and
discrimination." == Other reports ==