We need to understand that survivors are equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to make sure it meets their needs. Person-centred care means putting survivors at the centre of decisions and regarding them as experts working alongside professionals to get the best outcome.
My third and final point is that labour trafficking is rampant. While I know this study is focusing on sexual exploitation, it's very important to not overlook labour trafficking, a crime that thrives in otherness and often intersects with exploitation and sex trafficking. Traffickers typically target racialized and marginalized individuals who have precarious documentation and status in Canada. In 2022, 55% of ACT Alberta's clients experienced labour trafficking, and 100% of our labour trafficking cases involved clients of international origin.
Based on our frontline experience and that of our partners, ACT Alberta believes the national statistics on the prevalence of labour trafficking do not accurately depict the reality. Investing in research and direct support for survivors of labour trafficking is critical. Equally important is addressing the systemic and cultural racism that minimizes the urgency of this issue.
As you pursue this research initiative, I ask you to please consider the nuances of survivor-centred care and to continue to prioritize diversity of thought.
Thank you for your time today and for all your work to combat the trafficking of women, girls and gender-diverse people.