A fake advertisement offering sex with a minor by Durham Regional Police (DRPS) Human Trafficking Unit got a whopping 6,678 responses, the police said yesterday.
The unit engages in proactive initiatives, involving the use of undercover officers who pose as young persons on the internet. It address the purchase of sex from minors in Durham Region. Project Firebird is an on-going initiative that focuses on individuals interested in purchasing sexual services from persons under 18 years of age, as well as providing education and support to victims or potential victims.
“An ad was published to create the illusion that individuals can purchase sexual services from minors. The ad was visited 6678 times in a four-day period and received messages from over 600 different phone numbers,” said a police report.
During the month of November, investigators arrested five individuals and laid 15 Criminal Code charges. For a complete list of names and charges click here.
This project would not be possible without the support of the Ontario government funding to DRPS’ Children at Risk of Exploitation (Care) unit. “Our Care unit has specialized teams that pair police officers with child protection workers to proactively identify, investigate, locate, and engage children and youth who are at high risk of child sex trafficking,” said the police.
If you or anyone you know has been or may be involved in a similar situation, please come forward to the highly trained investigators who are here to provide their support, police said adding that a support network for survivors of human trafficking has been established in the Region of Durham.
These services can be accessed via www.stopht.com. Parents and caregivers are also encouraged to use the resources found on the website to have open discussions with the minors in their lives about recognizing the signs of human trafficking. Victim Services of Durham Region is available for anyone that needs free, confidential support without judgement. Visit their website at www.victimservicesdurham.ca.
Anyone with any new information about this incident or other incidents, please contact the Detective Constable Heron or Detective Constable Edwards of the DRPS Human Trafficking Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5600.