Sex Trafficking and Homelessness: Vulnerability, Safety and Community
People experiencing homelessness can face increased vulnerability to sex trafficking and sexual exploitation due to housing instability and a lack of basic necessities. This article explores the connection between homelessness and trafficking while also highlighting the community and protection that can exist within encampments.
Katherine Al Zanoun
10/16/20263 min read
Trigger Warning: This article will be discussing themes of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, reader discretion is advised.
Sex trafficking has been a growing concern in Ontario for many years, and people experiencing homelessness can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation. While trafficking can happen to anyone, not having a safe and stable place to live can leave people with fewer options when it comes to meeting their basic needs. For someone who is hungry, cold or has nowhere safe to sleep, an offer of food, money or shelter can feel like a lifeline.
Covenant House Toronto reports that 30% of women who stay at their shelter have been involved in sex work or have experienced sex trafficking (1). . For some people experiencing homelessness, the need for basic necessities can put them in situations where they feel pressured to exchange sex for food, a place to sleep, transportation or other necessities. Traffickers can take advantage of these circumstances by offering what initially appears to be support or protection, before using that dependence to control and exploit someone.
Young people experiencing homelessness can be especially vulnerable. Those who have aged out of the child welfare system, experienced family conflict or do not have a strong support system may be more likely to trust someone who offers them somewhere to stay or promises financial stability. What may begin as an offer of help can gradually become a situation where the individual feels trapped and unable to leave.
However, when discussing the relationship between homelessness and sexual violence, it is also important to recognize the communities that people experiencing homelessness build for themselves. Encampments are often portrayed solely as places of danger, but residents can develop strong relationships and look out for one another, particularly when it comes to personal safety.
Some men living in encampments have experienced sexual abuse themselves or have witnessed a family member or loved one experience sexual violence. For some, these experiences have given them a personal understanding of the fear and vulnerability that comes with being targeted. As a result, some residents take on a protective role within their communities, checking in on women, watching for potentially dangerous situations, and stepping in when they believe someone may be at risk of sexual assault or exploitation.
These relationships do not mean that encampments are always safe, nor do they eliminate the risks that women experiencing homelessness face. Women can still experience harassment, assault and exploitation while living in unstable housing. However, the willingness of some residents to protect one another demonstrates a side of encampment life that is often overlooked: the sense of community and solidarity that can develop among people who are navigating homelessness together.
For many people living in encampments, these informal relationships can become an important source of safety. When formal systems have not provided someone with stable housing or adequate protection, residents may rely on one another instead. Looking out for a neighbour, making sure someone gets back safely or intervening when a situation feels unsafe can make a difference in a community where people may already feel vulnerable.
It is important to remember that homelessness does not cause sex trafficking, and people who experience trafficking should never be blamed for their exploitation. Traffickers are responsible for the abuse and manipulation they carry out. However, housing instability, poverty, and a lack of support can create circumstances that traffickers are able to exploit.
Addressing sex trafficking therefore requires more than focusing on the individuals committing these crimes. It also means addressing the conditions that can leave people vulnerable in the first place. Safe and affordable housing, accessible support services, financial assistance and reliable access to food and healthcare can all help reduce the circumstances that traffickers take advantage of.
Having a safe place to live is about more than simply having a roof over someone's head. Stable housing can give people the ability to make choices without having to depend on someone else for their most basic needs. It can provide the security to walk away from an unsafe situation rather than feeling that there is nowhere else to go.
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and community. For people experiencing homelessness, providing that safety can be an important part of preventing exploitation and ensuring that no one has to trade their personal security or dignity simply to survive