Just to make it absolutely clear that I have presented the correct evidence before this committee, there are five convictions under section 279.01 to date, all the result of guilty pleas. The few number can partially be explained by the non-retroactivity of criminal laws. This law was enacted in November 2005.
Secondly, I'm not sure where this number of 15,000 victims came up. I would like to clarify for this committee that the estimates are very difficult to come by. This is a criminal activity that is basically clandestine in nature. We don't have hard and fast numbers. We do not know the extent of it. There are various estimates, depending on the body that you consult. Whether that be the United Nations or the ILO, they all have different estimates, and that will also be based on how the person or the entity making those estimates defines trafficking in persons. Not all people view trafficking in persons as the same thing, and it's often confused with smuggling.
I hope that addresses some of your concerns.