Yesterday (July 30) was International Day to End Trafficking in Persons, and, it also marked the end of Project ONroute.
It was a month-long awareness campaign at ONroutes across the province asking people to educate themselves about the signs and risks of human trafficking.
This campaign was put on by Courage for Freedom, a charity dedicated to helping girls, teens and women who have been affected by sex trafficking.
Cobourg’s mayor, John Henderson, was in attendance, and he says that while this is a province and nation-wide issue, it’s something happening in our backyard.
Statistics show that 66 per cent of human trafficking victims were targeted along the 400 series corridor in Ontario and the average age of victims is 13 and a half.
Yesterday’s Project ONroute wrap up also served as the launch of Project Maple Leaf, a Canadian campaign that will keep the momentum of Project ONroute going and support victims of human trafficking.
Kelly Franklin, founder of Courage for Freedom tells us more.
The official unveiling of the full project will be held in February of 2020.
