Beyond Grooming to Exploitation: What Happens Next?
- The White Hatter
- Jun 3
- 4 min read
When we talk about human trafficking in Canada, many parents still imagine international crime rings or urban crime hotspots. But the reality is far more domestic and disturbingly subtle. Most trafficking cases involving Canadian youth don’t begin with abduction or force. They begin with a manipulative relationship one built on flattery, gifts, and false promises of love or success, something called the “grooming process” that we speak to in great detail (1)
Once a trafficker has successfully groomed and recruited their target, often through social media, gaming platforms, or even mutual friends, the next stage of control begins. This is where the victim’s freedom is systematically dismantled, replaced by dependence, fear, and trauma.
In many trafficking operations, the offenders work in small organized groups moving from hotel to hotel. A common tactic involves renting a SUV and a second vehicle to transport the girls across provincial or regional lines. Typically, a "boss" oversees the operation while a few "handlers" maintain control over two or three girls. At first, this might seem like an exciting road trip to the girls involved. Traffickers spend money on new clothes, hair styling, meals, and hotel stays, all designed to make the girls feel special and cared for. But these expenses quickly become debts. The girls are told they now owe the traffickers for everything they’ve been given.
Very quickly, the tone shifts. Within days, the girls are coerced into illegal activity, often shoplifting, breaking into cars, or committing credit card fraud. These crimes serve several purposes: they generate income for the traffickers, create a criminal record that can be used to manipulate the girls, and further isolate them from any support system. Traffickers frequently threaten to report the girls to police if they attempt to leave, reinforcing a sense of entrapment.
After about a week, strict and dehumanizing rules are introduced. The girls are told not to speak unless spoken to, not to make eye contact with strangers, and are forbidden from owning or using their own phones. They are required to sleep with whomever the traffickers demand and are reminded daily that they are in debt and must repay it with their bodies and obedience. Abuse, both physical and psychological, is used to enforce compliance. The threat of violence becomes a constant reality, especially from the boss who typically asserts the most brutal form of control.
At the same time, the girls are often introduced to drugs. Sometimes it begins as a party atmosphere to build trust and lower their defences. Over time, however, substance use becomes a tool of control. Addiction not only weakens their ability to resist but also reinforces their dependency on the traffickers. As they become more comfortable using drugs, they also become more desensitized to committing crimes, both of which serve the trafficker’s agenda.
The use of two vehicles by traffickers is strategic. The girls, now conditioned to take risks, are usually tasked with committing the higher-risk crimes, such as bank fraud or identity theft. If law enforcement intervenes and arrests them, the traffickers in the second vehicle disappear without consequence. The young victims left behind often face the legal fallout alone. Ironically, those who are caught early by police may end up being the fortunate ones—they have a chance to escape, even if it begins with arrest.
These girls are routinely transported between cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax - colloquially known as “the track”. But they don’t stay in one place long. They’re also taken to smaller communities, often for just a night or two, where they’re expected to earn money through sex work or petty theft. This constant movement makes them harder to locate and more disconnected from any community or source of help.
Parents often ask why their children wouldn’t simply run. The answer is rooted in psychological manipulation, shame, and fear. Many of these girls are deeply ashamed of what they’ve done and how far they’ve fallen. They fear being arrested, humiliated, or having their stories exposed to family and friends. Worse still, they’re terrified of being hunted down by the traffickers, who have often beaten them severely or threatened to hurt their loved ones. Without ID, money, education, or trust in adults, the idea of starting over feels impossible. These traumas are compounded daily until escape seems more dangerous than compliance.
Sadly, some victims remain in this cycle for years, often a decade or longer, until they are considered “used up” by their traffickers. When that time comes, they are either abandoned, simply discarded, and sometimes killed. Others are left on the streets with no support, and having known only a life of crime, find reintegration into society nearly impossible.
The psychological toll this life inflicts on its victims is unimaginable. Recovery, for those who escape, is a long and complex journey. These young women require specialized, trauma-informed rehabilitation services with counsellors trained in the unique dynamics of exploitation and coercion. Healing isn’t just about safety, it’s about re-learning self-worth, reclaiming agency, and navigating a world that too often judged them for their past rather than supporting their recovery.
For Canadian parents, the most important step is understanding that this can happen anywhere and to any child. Trafficking doesn't discriminate by geography, income, or family background. What traffickers look for is vulnerability be it emotional, social, or economic. And that vulnerability is often exploited online, where so many youth today build relationships and identity. Open conversations, digital literacy, and a supportive, non-judgmental relationship with your child are your most powerful tools for prevention.
Trafficking thrives in silence and misunderstanding. By learning how these cycles work and sharing that knowledge, we can intervene earlier, support survivors more effectively, and challenge the systems that allow this crisis to continue in our communities.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
References:
