Waterloo Region, Ontario – On January 22 and 23, 2014, members of the Waterloo Regional Police Service in partnership with the Kitchener detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police participated in a national enforcement initiative driven by growing concerns that young women are being forced to participate in the sex trade.
Operation Northern Spotlight was a cooperative effort involving 26 police services in over 30 communities across Canada. More than 330 women, some as young as 15 years, were interviewed. Police found some were being forced to perform sexual acts multiple times a day for paying customers.
Although the Criminal Code section refers to this activity as Human Trafficking, investigators increasingly view this crime as “sex slaveryâ€. Several teens and young women have been identified as being forced to perform sexual acts through threats of violence, physical intimidation, drug dependency and other forms of coercion. Part or all of the proceeds from the sexual encounters are kept by their adult male controller or pimp.
As part of the local investigation, police located an 18 year old female victim from Toronto who was allegedly exploited and forced to work as an escort in Waterloo Region. Two males from Toronto were subsequently arrested in Kitchener. Shakib GHARIBZADA, 24 years, of Toronto and Masood HEJRAN, 25 years of Newmarket were charged with Human Trafficking, Receiving Material Benefit and Procuring. Additional charges include Sexual Assault, using an Imitation Firearm and Breach of Probation.
“Human Traffickers victimize one of the most vulnerable sectors of our communities, our young people, said Inspector Todd Gilmore
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