As a tool to coerce their victims into the commercial sex industry, traffickers will often try to isolate individuals from their networks, their friends and their family. They're lied to. They're told that they will get in trouble or they will get arrested.
I also cannot overstate the stigma and the shame that are imposed on victims and survivors as part of their trafficking, because they are engaged in the commercial sex industry. If you look at the issues of sexism and the oversexualization of women as well, and how they are told to feel guilty and bad about it, that is one of the things that are holding people back from coming forward to law enforcement.
In reality, law enforcement is quite low on the list for survivors who contact the hotline. The first thing is usually to find emergency housing and case management. That's where you have a service navigator who's walking with you to access basic needs and services, as well as supportive counselling. It's usually several calls in, or sometimes years down the line, when an individual feels ready to engage with law enforcement.
Where we see the most positive outcomes for the individual is when they're able to access those community supports to exit their situation and start rebuilding their lives. We hear this from survivors daily. The stigma and the shame that are imposed on them make them feel isolated and unable to access help.