Human trafficking in sex trade thriving in Nova Scotia, Mountie says

Human trafficking of young women, some in their early teens, as sex trade workers isa hidden epidemic in Nova Scotia, an RCMP officer on the front lines said Monday.

"People could have a daughter who's been recruited into the human trafficking sex trade and they wouldn't even realize it," saidCpl. David Lane of the RCMP human trafficking division.

The officer appearedMondaybefore the Halifax Board of Police Commissionersto talk about crime trends.

It's nearly impossible to find numbers to show whether there are more local girls being forced to work in the sex trade, Lanesaid.

Pimps look for young victims

But from what he sees first hand, Lane said the occurrence is still disturbing.

"It's hard to say exactly what it is right now, statistically, but the good thing isthat people and police and community activists are getting together and they're identifying the problem. "

Prevention communities protecting their vulnerable teenage girls is important, he said.

Girls as young as 14 and 15 are often recruited by men, and in some cases, women.The offenders routinely hang around group homes inDartmouth looking for vulnerable teenagers, Lane said.

The same peoplehave also been successful in luring teenage girls from south-end Halifax as well asother partsof the province, using promises of nice clothes, a car or an apartment in downtown Toronto.

In many cases, Lane said, the traffickers follow throughwith their promise. The catch is, the young women and girls areforced into the sex trade often pimped out up to 15 times per day.

"Every parent that I've sat down with says the exact same thing: 'The last thing she said before she left was, "He treated me like a princess."'"

'Golden Horseshoe'

Lane saidgirls are moved from Nova Scotia to the so-called "Golden Horseshoe" of Ontario:Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville and Hamilton.

There,victims are branded with tattoos and in some cases, their pimp fathers a child with them to create even more dependency.

Parents often are aware their daughters are in danger, but cling to hope they survive into their early- to mid-20s. That's about the timethe pimps are less interested in themand allowthem go home.

Leaving the sex trade any earlier typically requires a payment of $10,000, Lane said.

Fear of testifying against pimp

The difficulty laying charges of human trafficking is thatonly about one per cent of thegirls who becomevictimswill agree to turn on their pimps. They are often afraid, including for their family's safety back home.

In some cases, they see the offender as their "boyfriend,"Lane said.

There's little chance ofconviction without the co-operation of the girl.

"In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to put the girl on the stand again and revictimize them.But it is an important part of the case."