People of faith rally against modern day slavery
WINNIPEG, MB—If there's one thing Shona Stewart wants people to know about human trafficking, it's this: it happens in Canada.
"It is not just international," says Stewart, who works as the pastor of women's outreach at Cornerstone Alliance Church. "We have a lot of trafficking victims right here in Manitoba. … They're being conned [and] they're being coerced."
While it's difficult to pinpoint the prevalence of human trafficking—the illegal trade of human beings for sexual exploitation or forced labour—the Royal Canadian Mounted Police estimated in 2004 that 800 foreign trafficking victims were exploited every year in Canada (600 in sexual exploitation and 200 in forced labour), according to EndModernDaySlavery.ca.
It's a subject that hits close to home for Stewart, who was drawn into prostitution for 16 years before turning her life around and becoming a counsellor and pastor. Cornerstone Alliance has worked alongside Union Gospel Mission to bring 35 women from the street to Christ, and Stewart is currently planning a variety of initiatives to help keep them off the street.
"We're looking at starting a home and having a place where the girls can come and be safe," Stewart says.
The National Women's Ministries of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada are committed to raising awareness about human trafficking. Two years ago, the denomination launched DefendDignity.ca, a website aimed at informing people about human trafficking and equipping them to help make a difference when it comes to the issue.
"It's an absolute tragedy of our time that humanity is still being sold," says Glendyne Gerrard, national women's ministries chair. "It's hard to believe that this is still happening in our day and age, but it is."
Gerrard says the first thing Christians can do when it comes to human trafficking is to be aware of it and to educate themselves. After that, they can do things like getting in touch with their Member of Parliament to express their concern about human trafficking, or plug in to a local organization that helps people who are marginalized.
"I think this is God's issue for our day," Gerrard says. "It's just a matter of being obedient to what God wants of us."
One MP who is passionate about eradicating human trafficking is Joy Smith (Kildonan-St. Paul). Smith has been a leading voice on the issue for a number of years and on Friday, April 27, a private member's bill she introduced was unanimously approved.
If Bill C-310 becomes law, it will allow Canadian police to go abroad and arrest any Canadian citizen or permanent resident suspected of trafficking people and bring the suspect back to Canada for trial.
"We as Christians need to pray for our country and we need to pray for this issue," Smith says. "Now is the time that we can stop this heinous crime. Each and every Christian is very important in stopping this heinous crime."
"I'm very proud of what our community has done so far, but we need to do more," Smith adds. "Education is our greatest weapon."
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