02/22/2026
Today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Ontario. Kids and young adults do not have to look “high risk” to be targeted. Trafficking often starts as grooming: attention, gifts, secrecy, isolation, and control.
Common red flags we can notice across ages 3 to 26
🧩 Sudden secrecy about who they are talking to or where they are going
🎁 New expensive items, cash, or “a friend” they will not explain
📱 Two phones, constant check ins, or someone monitoring messages
🧍♀️ A controlling person who speaks for them, drives them everywhere, or won’t let them be alone
🏠 Isolation from friends and family, sudden school refusal, disappearing, frequent “new place” stories
😟 Fear, anxiety, hypervigilance, unexplained injuries, big personality shifts
🪪 No access to ID, money, or personal belongings
💼 For older youth and young adults: job promises that feel off, unpaid work, withheld pay, pressure to meet quotas, restricted movement
How to speak up and take action in Ottawa:
-Trust your gut. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
-Report safely. Do not confront a trafficker. Write down what you saw (date, time, location, descriptions) and call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline 1 833 900 1010 (24 7, confidential).
-Use local supports. You can contact the Ottawa Police Human Trafficking Unit at 613 236 1222 ext 5005 or 1 800 292 1168.
-You can also reach the Ottawa Coalition to End Human Trafficking at 613 698 1257 for support and guidance.
We keep kids safer by building connection, keeping conversations open, and taking concerns seriously. If you are unsure, it is always okay to ask for help.
