NUR1 421 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Organ Trade, Male Prostitution, Joses
11 Jun 2018
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NUR1 421 – RESOURCES: SPECIAL POPULATIONS
Lesson 12 ~ April 6th, 2018
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Midterm essay grades out
- Next week is the last class of the semester
POLLING
Which statement is true with regards to sex trafficking (ST)?
A. ST is only related to foreigners, not Canadian-born individuals
B. In Quebec, only girls in Youth Protection are at risk for ST
C. There are signs that can alert nurses to ST, such as tattoos and lack of identification
D. ST is a legal and criminal issue, not a healthcare issue
GUEST SPEAKER ~ JOSÉE MENSALES
- Introduction
o Police officer
o In 2010 opened up a program called Les Survivantes
§ Purpose to aid young men and women in leaving prostitution and empowering them in
terms of future decision making
o Co-authored and published a book in 2015 called “Pour L’Amour de Mon Pimp”
§ Tells the stories of women who have survived and gotten out of sexual trafficking
§ This book can be used as a prevention tool as it tells the realistic stories of women who
were actually in these situations
o Also gives information sessions on human trafficking and sexual exploitation
§ This information was previously given only to law enforcement agents or policemen
§ Need healthcare team and other organizations collaboration to ensure these situations do
not repeat themselves
- Josée’s experience in the field
o Do not rely on statistics as these do not provide an adequate portrait of the situation
o Male sex workers are less documented; thus their statistics may seem lower
§ Montreal is a tourist attraction for the male prostitutes, especially in the gay village
o First Nation and Inuit peoples represent about 50% of the clientele working in sexual
exploitation
§ However, very few of their files come through to law enforcement
§ There is a lack of trust in these communities towards institutions and law enforcement
agencies which are primarily white, as they represent historical oppression
o Repression (subduing by force, example sending someone to jail) as a means to “solve” this issue
§ Repression is a way to protect society from sociopaths and psychopaths
• May see this in some traffickers
§ Repression is not always the final solution
• Other traffickers may be young boys and girls turning towards trafficking as an
opportunity to make money or get out of a desperate situation, and not be aware
of the consequences their actions are causing on their victims
• This issue needs to be addressed not only by law enforcement but also by schools,
communities, and other organizations
- Video made by the United Nations
o It is very rare that someone is forced into sexual trafficking
o How do girls get lured into sexual trafficking?
o Pimps will make claims such as
§ Go work abroad
§ Housing will be provided
§ No work permit required
§ You’ll meet new, interesting people, nice co-workers
§ Your own comfortable working space
§ Excellent salary
o These women buy into this and are them exploited
o More than 70000 women each year are victims of sex trafficking
- There are different forms of human trafficking
o Sexual exploitations
§ Street prostitution
§ Escort agencies
§ Erotic massage parlors
§ Pornography
o Textile Industry
o Domestic Work
o Agriculture
o Mail ordered brides
o Organ trafficking
- The term human trafficking appeared in the early 2000s, however this issue is nothing new
o Note that sexual exploitation is just one form of human trafficking
§ Previously called procuring
• Someone lives off the money of someone else who is doing prostitution
o Previously, the laws against this were not very severe, no special teams equipped to work with
these issues
§ Before would press charges such as procuring, assault, sexual exploitation
§ Note that violence was not always involved
§ In a worse-case scenario (If there was assault, physical violence, threats, abuse, etc.) the
sentences would be approx. 3-4 years
§ This is relatively very little time in jail
§ This encouraged many traffickers to take action in the area of sexual exploitation
- Where is sexual trafficking happening?
o Previously mainly in urban centers such as Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, and Niagara Falls
§ Cities very close to American border
§ Americans will come to Canada because:
• Cheaper than America
• Legal age in Canada 18 versus legal age in America 21
• Easier access, less strict rules than in USA
o Now seeing in areas such as Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Fort McMurray
§ New sites due to Northern demand
§ Around constructional sites, girls are very much in demand
§ Girls will be told that they are going on road trips to do “deluxe escorting”
• Term “deluxe escorting” used instead of “prostitution” to play to people’s pride
• Girls will go willingly and then be taken advantage
o Quebecers have an “exotic title” because only French province in Canada
o Remember that traffickers are in this for two reasons
1) Power
2) Money
- Justice System regarding trafficking
o In 2000, Canada signed the Palerme Protocol (United Nations) in order to prevent and reprimand
human trafficking. The Protocol will be ratified in 2002.
§ Canada one of the countries that signed this protocol
§ Brings law enforcement tools to address this issue and give longer sentences
§ Considers the impacts of violence and manipulation on the victims, which is a large cost
for society afterwards
• Victims take years to get back to a normal state where functional
§ Prevention is essential
o In November 2005, the Parliament of Canada modified the Criminal Code with laws that will
protect potential victims
o Specifically the Human Trafficking article 279.01 (1) adopted in the Criminal Code
§ Article recognizes that parents of victims also affected
§ Parents may be suicidal, shamed, and isolate themselves
§ Increases the conviction time to 4 years or more
o Trafficking drugs versus human trafficking
§ It is not illegal to be travelling with girls in the car, but it is illegal to be travelling with
narcotics
§ Traffickers realize that there is an increased risk when trafficking narcotics
§ If a trafficker gets caught with narcotics, it may only take 3-4 days to analyze the
substances in a lab and make a conviction
§ However, with human trafficking, investigations can go from several months to years
§ With human trafficking the “proof” is humans, who may be intimidated, may have drug
issues, mental health issues, etc. which makes it difficult to testify in court
§ 67% success rate with victims who will press charges, however many will not press
charges
- Radical changes in profile of sex workers
o Increasingly seeing clientele that are in international programs, private schools, from wealthy
families
o Pimps will go on social media
§ Search different platforms (Instagram, facebook, twitter, etc.)
§ Like and comment on 100 girl’s profiles
§ At least 3-4 will write back, making them an easy target
§ Traffickers will aim at certain profiles, seek girls who have insecurities and like the
attention as it is a way to fill the void
• Mostly occurs with minors, may also occur with adults who have unresolved
insecurities
o Previously would see advertisements for modelling agencies or photography studios who were
offering to take “photos” for the girls
o Now, pimps are calling themselves artists, rappers or music labels
§ These pimps can make decent music videos as they have a lot of money
§ Note that these pimps will not put any money in the bank as it can be used to track them
§ Will either immediately spend the money, or create accounts and buy items under the
victim’s name
§ This means that the majority of sex workers are in debt, and usually have to go bankrupt
when they leave the sex industry (which prevents girls from leaving)
§ For example: a girl at 15 may “own” two cars but not have a driver license yet
- Program “Les Survivantes”
o Provides a resource for women who do not want or cannot press charges
o Provides open information sessions for different professionals who may come across women in
these situations
o Includes attorneys, judges, tourist industry (hotels, motels), healthcare workers
o For example: as a healthcare worker may see women with tattoos over their pubic area or on
breasts to signify that the girls “belong” to a certain pimp
- Many psychopaths and sociopaths are traffickers
