Indigenous Girls Trafficked Younger and Younger

 Trauma Bonding with Their Traffickers

A Canadian human trafficking task force is seeking to change the legal definition of human trafficking.  According to the legal definition human trafficking usually happens because of force, threats or coercion.  However, Diane Redsky, project director of the Human Trafficking Task Force at the Canadian Women’s Foundation, says these days, Indigenous women who are trafficked don’t necessarily fear for their safety nor are fear tactics always used.  “The victims are ‘trauma bonding’ with their traffickers.  Traffickers are becoming fathers and husbands to their victims.”  Trauma bonding is less like fear and more like a sense of loyalty.  In the case of twelve year old Kimmy (not her real name), she performed sex acts out of not just loyalty to her sister—but also guilt. A desire to help and protect.