Human trafficking message continues rolling across the province

Thu, Apr 11, 2024 12:00 PM GMT

Eye-catching messages about human trafficking will be carried on trucks, sharing helpful information, links, hand signals and the website address for the Know Human Trafficking campaign.

Transport trucks driving through Durham won’t just carry cargo; they will share an important message about human trafficking.

Victim Services of Durham Region (VSDR), which supports survivors of crime and other tragedies, is taking its message to the highways and roadways in and around the region and beyond with the help of Big Rig Wraps.

The 29th truck in the fleet of the Know Human Trafficking truck advertising campaign launched on April 2. The mobile messaging aims to increase awareness and education about human trafficking to help those at risk. The newest wrap is sponsored by Angelo Pucci of Sutton Group Realty and Speedy Transport.

The eye-catching message will be carried on Speedy Transport trucks and includes helpful information, links, hand signals, and the website address for the Know Human Trafficking campaign. The Women’s Trucking Federation of Canada and the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers are also supporters of the mobile initiative.

Krista MacNeil, VSDR executive director, said Durham Region is a hot spot for human trafficking due to its proximity to Hwy. 401. She said that since 2019, the Canadian Human Trafficking hotline supported approximately 2,100 victims across Canada.

“By comparison, our small agency supported 1,800 victims in Durham alone in that time.”

Among those in attendance was Karly Church, a VSDR human trafficking crisis intervention counsellor, who regularly shares her human trafficking story.

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For more information about sponsoring a truck, contact Angela Baltkois at 705-927-8809. Learn more about the campaign at www.knowhumantrafficking.com.

Victim Services of Durham Region is available for anyone who needs free, confidential support without judgment at www.victimservicesdurham.ca. A support network for survivors of human trafficking has been established in the Region of Durham and can be accessed at www.stopht.com.