Funding for holiday season

Human trafficking is the second largest organized crime, worldwide, yet many people are still unaware of its existence here in Canada. Quite often it is viewed as a crime that happens somewhere else and to someone else. However, Canada is not only a destination country for foreign human trafficking victims, most often victims are domestic; meaning they are Canadian citizens.

Human trafficking can be for the purposes of forced labor, organ harvesting, and sex trafficking. Here in Canada sex trafficking is the most prevalent form of human trafficking and the victims are most often girls and young women. It’s not unusual for law enforcement to come across victims as young as 12 and 13 years old. Human traffickers (pimps) use well-established skills and systems to manipulate and entrap their young victims. The victims are then forced to have sex with men for money several times per day while the traffickers collect the funds. Traffickers beat, rape, starve, torture, and threaten victims; they will even threaten the lives of the victim's family members, to keep victims in line. These young girls can be our neighbors, and even our own children. It is happening in our own backyards.

Walk With Me Canada Victim Services, www.walk-with-me-org, is a survivor lead, non-for-profit charitable organization whose main focus and purpose is in supporting victims of human trafficking. WWM Canada Victim Services, works directly with law enforcement and social services providers to deliver first response care to victims. Care may involve, 24/7 emergency safe housing, legal support, counseling services, transitional housing, food, clothing, and more.

WWM’s Vision and Mission are:

Vision Statement Transforming the lives of the victims of human trafficking while eradicating slavery.

Mission Statement Walk With Me Canada Victim Services is a survivor-led organization dedicated to raising awareness and providing education on issues of slavery, delivering and coordinating services supporting "victims to become survivors," and advocating action for change.

When WWM first becomes engaged with victims, they will have nothing; victims will literally have nothing but the clothes on their backs and sometimes barely even that. They will be in immediate need of basic care items such as clothing, food, and other essentials.

In addition, human trafficking victims will have suffered through such abuse, neglect, and mistreatment that they feel broken and uncared for. Many victims may have been neglected and abused for most, if not all, of their lives. WWM works hard to help victims/clients realize their importance and feel cared for. Much needed emotional support is provided to clients along with other supports that help reinforce the feeling of importance in each person, such as providing birthday gifts and holiday celebrations. During the holiday season WWM has a party for their clients and tries to make sure each one of them receives presents. 

To provide services to human trafficking victims it costs, on average about $500 per victim, and even more so during the holiday season. Currently funds are needed for the purchasing of gifts and other related essentials. Walk With Me is asking for your support. The hope is that at least $5 000 will be raised from donations. There is no minimum donation as any and all support will be greatly appreciated. WWM thanks you for your generosity!

Walk With Me Canada Victim Services is a non-for-profit agency, operating under the umbrella of Courage to Cope; a National Charitable Organization. 

Charitable registration number: BN87064 1008 RR0001