New legislation to protect Sask. victims of human trafficking takes effect
CBC
New legislation to protect Saskatchewan victims of human trafficking officially took effect on April 20.
According to the province, the Protection from Human Trafficking Act provides safeguards including streamlining the process for victims to seek a protection order.
"Human trafficking is on the rise and continues to be under-reported in most jurisdictions," Justice Minister and Attorney General Gordon Wyant said in a news release on Monday.
"This legislation is intended to improve safety for survivors, while holding traffickers accountable for this horrific crime."
The legislation also adds new provisions for protection orders, including one that prohibits traffickers from contacting their victims in any way.
The province said victims can apply for a protection order on their own or be assisted by a shelter employee or a medical professional.
Penalties to discourage violations of the protection orders are also built into the legislation, including fines, driver's licence suspensions and jail time.
"This is a complex issue that requires interventions on many levels," Wyant said. "While criminal charges will continue to be the first response to these terrible crimes, this offers community-based organizations and law enforcement another tool to assist victims of human trafficking in Saskatchewan."
Beatrice Wallace, who works at Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Regina as the director of addictions, said it's about time the government paid attention to human trafficking.
Wallace was sexually exploited when she was 14, and put on the streets by two men.
"About 10 years ago, I found out what human trafficking was, what sexual exploitation was, and I realized that had happened to me," Wallace said.
Wallace said part of her "healing journey" since then has been advocating for human trafficking awareness and speaking out about her experiences in hopes of inspiring victims to come forward and preventing trafficking from happening to others.
Wallace said she is hopeful that the new legislation will have an impact, but she's skeptical.
"I think whenever something like this happens, you don't know right away if it's going to be useful until it plays out for a bit. As a survivor, it gives me hope. But we have heard of a lot of promises for quite a while. So it's just a matter of seeing it play out."
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