The purpose of human trafficking is to recruit, transport, or confine vulnerable people, normally for sexual or labor purposes to obtain benefits for themselves or for others. Different forms of coercion are used by traffickers to get their victims to comply.

Our awareness of human trafficking has increased in recent years.  Human trafficking may be mistakenly believed to occur only in some other countries or in other parts of Canada.  Human trafficking does happen in Canada, including Alberta.  Canada is not immune from human trafficking. 

Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery.  People may be controlled through threats, force, coercion, or deception inside or outside of an organization for the purpose of exploitation.  Human trafficking encompasses two major types of exploitation – sexual and economic.