The Sexual Exploitation Working Group is an Edmonton-based leadership group collaborating to create awareness of sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, and their causes and impacts.
SEWA 2024: May 13 at City Hall
When: Monday, May 13, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Where: Edmonton City Hall
Join us at Edmonton City Hall as we mark the 2024 Sexual Exploitation Week of Awareness.
Did you know?
The average age child and teen sex trafficking starts is as young as 13 years old, with sources indicating it is even younger for Indigenous victims.
According to Statistics Canada, online sexual exploitation rates have tripled in Canada since 2014.
While human trafficking can happen to anyone, 94% of victims are women and girls.
Hear from special guest speakers, learn about community resources, and raise awareness about sexual exploitation in Edmonton.
SEWG recognizes vulnerabilities to sexual exploitation due to: age, ethnicity, sex, gender, financial desperation, migration, homelessness, prior childhood abuse or neglect, mental or physical health conditions, addictions, intergenerational trauma or any other circumstance that contributes to vulnerability.
-
“Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.”
-
Orange combines the warmth of yellow for compassion and red for anger at injustices. Anti-human trafficking organizations around the world have chosen orange as their colour. In Edmonton, we stand in solidarity with these initiatives by wearing orange. It is also the colour chosen to remember the traumatic legacy of residential schools, to witness and honour the healing journey of survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.
SEWG is made up of Edmonton-based non-profits, law enforcement, and municipal and provincial government, supported by REACH Edmonton and working to:
Facilitate information sharing regarding sexual exploitation in its many forms
Act as a conduit for public education
Raise awareness of contributing factors
Support community and political efforts to address the issue
Identify and work with new partners and community stakeholders as needed
-
![]()
CEASE builds bridges over income instability and creates pathways out of exploitation. They provide tools for persons who have experienced sexual exploitation or sex trafficking to heal and renew their lives.
-
![]()
REACH thrives on collaborating with community partners to develop community safety strategies that make Edmonton a safer and more vibrant place to live work and play.
-
![City of Edmonton]()
City of Edmonton is dedicated to working together towards harm reduction and physical safety within license body rub centres by focusing on compliance for licensing, education and awareness programs, relationship building and information sharing with other licensing associations and municipalities.
-
![Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton]()
SACE exists to support people impacted by sexual violence and engage communities to promote respect and uphold a culture of consent.
-
![ACT Alberta]()
ACT Alberta works in collaboration with local, provincial and national partners to identify, respond to and prevent human trafficking.
-
![Alberta Health Services]()
Alberta Health Services provides a bunch of important addiction and mental health resources.
-
![Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society]()
Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society is committed to building upon the strengths of Aboriginal children, youth and families to enable them to grow spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally so that they can walk proudly in both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Communities.
-
![Catholic Social Services]()
As a Catholic social services agency, CSS is guided by faith to care for and bring hope to people in need with humility, compassion and respect.
-
![Edmonton Police Service]()
The Edmonton Police Service works collaboratively with community partners that offer support to people leaving the cycle of sexual exploitation.
-
![The Family Centre]()
The Family Centre is a safe space for all ages, cultures, ethnicities, experiences, gender expressions, gender identities, religions, and sexual orientations to access support to navigate through change, raise healthy children, develop strong and healthy relationships, and heal from trauma.
-
![Edmonton Region - Children's Services]()
Edmonton Region - Children's Services offers a range of supports for children, youth and families in the Edmonton region.
-
![Alberta Culture and Status of Women]()
Alberta Culture and Status of Women works to improve Albertans’ quality of life through support of cultural development, historical preservation and increase gender equality.
Stats
Victims who are bought and sold in Edmonton are most often from marginalized populations that include First Nations, newcomers, abuse survivors and vulnerable young girls and boys.
Over
75%
of people working in the sex trade began working as a child.
Source: Susan McIntyre, PhD
Close to
70%
of males had a history of being sexually violated prior to their street involvement.
Source: “Under the Radar.” Susan McIntyre, PhD
Reporting
Report sexual exploitation when you see it happen
If you know a child who is involved in sexual exploitation, call the Child Abuse Hotline
If you suspect a person is a victim of sexual exploitation, contact the Edmonton Police Service (EPS)
