Fund Workshops to End Trafficking in Canada

Hello friends! 

I can't quite believe it’s time to give you another update on all the things you have made possible. We at Aura Freedom have been working hard to address human trafficking and we could not have done it without your continual support. We are grateful for you!

You may remember that we recently launched our Human Trafficking Info Hub. This is a central location for all things human traffiåcking. From definitions and trends, to luring and grooming, the HT Info Hub is a go-to location for preventing human trafficking. If you haven't had a chance yet, take a look at this amazing resource your donations helped create and continue to keep up-to-date.

We have been busy providing anti-human trafficking workshops and presentations for youth and frontline workers. We have provided these workshops and presentations to community group like FCJ Refugee Centre, Central Neighbourhood House, Sexual Assault Centres, and to organizations like the Toronto Police Services, Nipissing University, and Zonta Club Toronto.

During these workshops, we provide insight into what human trafficking looks like in Canada. We discuss statistics, how human trafficking happens, the luring and grooming process, root causes, equity, risk and protective factors, consent, healthy relationships, and so much more. 

These workshops provide crucial information that allow frontline workers to recognize human trafficking and empower youth to prevent trafficking in their own lives. We even receive disclosures of human trafficking from workshop participants who are then provided with trauma counselling and referral services. Your support made this possible - thank you for the lives that have been impacted through your donations!

One of the presentations we gave was for the University of Toledo, where we presented to more than 1,300 youth over two days. During these presentations, we focused on consent and healthy relationships as a way to prevent gender-based violence and highlighted the HT Info Hub and its foundations in human rights, intersectional feminism, and equity. 

In October, our executive Director, Marissa Kokkoros, presented at the Urban Economy Forum to over 500 attendees. Marissa highlighted why empowering women and eradicating violence is essential to achieving sustainable cities, communities, and countries.

We also presented to the Salvation Army, during which we explored the root causes of exploitation and human trafficking and how to address them. We looked at systemic oppression of marginalized groups and discussed how advancing equity and empowering youth can prevent human trafficking. 

Here is what some participants had to say: 

"We need more workshops like this in high schools, it was so informative!"

"Thank you for sharing tools on Internet Safety!"

"This workshop was very helpful and I will be sharing the resources with the youth in my community."

"Knowing the root causes of HT can be so impactful for many communities, especially preventing HT, so thank you for sharing it during this presentation!"

"There needs to be more informative presentations like these in our communities, many women do not know that they are being trafficked! So thank you for sharing the HT Info Hub, I know I will be using it and sharing it with other women who are at risk of being trafficked and survivors of trafficking."

We are so grateful you continue to choose to support Aura Freedom and our anti-human trafficking work. With your support, we are making positive impacts in the lives of countless individuals who are at risk of human trafficking.

We can't wait to see what we do next with your support!

In solidarity, 

- The Aura Freedom Team