Most Canadians say they can’t tell if someone is a victim of human trafficking: survey

A majority of Canadian adults don’t feel they can recognize the signs of human trafficking, according to a new survey.

According to the survey conducted by Angus Reid, 77 per cent of respondents said they would not be able to tell whether someone is a victim of human trafficking. The survey took place from Nov. 15 to 17 and involved a sample of 1,514 Canadian adults.

Still, 73 per cent of Canadians said they are concerned that human trafficking is a significant issue in Canada, according to a separate survey also conducted on behalf of the centre. This online survey was conducted by NielsenIQ in September and involved 1,503 Canadians.

Julia Drydyk is the executive director of The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, based in Toronto. The results of both surveys highlight the critical need for public education on human trafficking, she said.

“If people aren’t educated about what human trafficking really looks like in Canada, they're going to be looking for all the wrong things,” Drydyk told CTV News Channel on Sunday. “[Education] is so vital.”