With the launch of the city’s first specialized, longer-term housing program, young female victims of sex trafficking will find critically needed support to rebuild their lives in a new facility operated by Covenant House Toronto.
The community-based residential program with wraparound services is the first step in our plan to combat sex trafficking with initiatives, including crisis intervention and prevention through public awareness. As the country’s largest agency for homeless youth, Covenant House Toronto has offered help to victims for more than 30 years.
“This is largely a domestic issue and we are now seeing dozens of sex-trafficked victims annually, most of whom are local young women,” Bruce Rivers, Covenant House Executive Director, said. “We also estimate that as many as 1,000 of our youth are involved in some form of the sex trade annually, mostly trading sex for survival. Their desperation makes them highly vulnerable to sexual exploitation for profit.
“We know that homeless youth are targeted by predators and we also know that unsuspecting young girls in schools, malls and online are also lured into this kind of sex slavery,” Rivers adds. “We are launching our housing program as the first step in a concerted effort to do more to tackle this vicious and unacceptable crime.”
Mayor John Tory, Toronto Community Housing Interim President and CEO Greg Spearn, Toronto Police Deputy Chief Mark Saunders and Marg Stanowski of The Rotary Club of Toronto’s Women’s Initiatives Committee were among special guests who lent their support to the plan at the announcement at the downtown agency.
"I'm proud that the City of Toronto is working with Toronto Community Housing and Covenant House to create a sanctuary for young women who have been victimized by human traffickers," Mayor Tory said. "I particularly want to thank Councillor Ana Bailão, whom I recently appointed the City's Housing Advocate, for her significant efforts in bringing this initiative to life."
The program which will house up to seven residents, aged 16 to 24, at a time is the result of a partnership between Covenant House, The Rotary Club of Toronto’s Women’s Initiatives Committee, Toronto Community Housing and the City of Toronto.
Under the agreement, Toronto Community Housing will lease a property to Covenant House for 15 years at a nominal rent, while Covenant House will fund all ongoing operating and maintenance costs. The city has agreed to provide capital funding for repairs and renovations to the location to be completed in the coming months. To ensure the privacy of residents, the location will remain confidential.
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