New research about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada reveals an alarming intersection with human trafficking identified as a profound human rights concern
Important highlights:
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Technology-enhanced tools needed — Key recommendations in the fight against these disappearances include establishing a national database for Indigenous disappearances, using facial recognition technology to match missing persons with sex ads, and leveraging data analysis to identify patterns.
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Disproportionate impact driven by systemic factors — Though Indigenous peoples are about 5% of Canada’s population, about half of women and girls trafficked are Indigenous.
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Geographic patterns and cross‑border links — Urban hotspots show concentrated disappearances and trafficking activity, with evidence of connections between Canadian and US sex ads.
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The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada represents an urgent human rights concern, with Indigenous women disproportionately affected by violence and exploitation. This issue, often obscured by geographical and societal barriers, demands the attention and action of governments and law enforcement.
Research completed by Thomson Reuters in late-July illuminates the alarming intersection between missing and murdered Indigenous women and human trafficking. These insights are captured in a report titled Missing and Stolen: Disappearance and Trafficking of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Findings in the report shed light on the systemic factors that contribute to these tragedies, and the report offers actionable recommendations to address and prevent further injustices against potential victims in Canada.
Examining disappearances and trafficking activities
Missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls are overrepresented in cases of violence and trafficking, the report shows. Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis) comprise roughly 5% of Canada’s total population; but despite this low figure, the 2014 National Task Force on Sex Trafficking of Women and Girls in Canada found that 51% of women and 50% of girls trafficked in Canada are Indigenous.
Systemic factors also contribute to the crisis of these victims, including a history of sexual abuse. Other adverse childhood experiences such as homelessness and poverty are disproportionately prevalent among Indigenous communities in Canada. These previous childhood abuse experiences contribute to the heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking into adulthood.
Further, these systemic issues are compounded by previous experience with the child welfare system, which continues to disrupt Indigenous family structures. Although Indigenous children represent only about 8% of the population under the age of 15, they accounted for nearly 54% of all children in foster care as of 2021. Research also shows that many survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking have prior involvement with the child welfare system.
Sex ads points to cross-border activity
By analyzing data from reported Indigenous disappearances and sex ads, the study identified urban areas as hotspots in which these issues are most prevalent. Notably, cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, and the Windsor-Toronto-Ottawa corridor, emerge as key centers of disappearances and trafficking. Edmonton also is a point of interest because of its high Indigenous population but relatively remote nature in comparison to other hotspots.
Additionally, the study highlights the cross-border nature of trafficking, with connections between Canadian sex ads and those in the United States. This tracks with the general population demographics of Canada, in which much of the population lives within driving distance of the US border. However, when examining some of the ads in urban areas along the border, many involved cross-border connections.
Recommended actions
To address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and human trafficking, several key actions are recommended for government agencies and law enforcement, including:
Consolidate reporting into a central repository — Establishing a national database for Indigenous disappearances is crucial for improving the speed and effectiveness of investigations.
Use advanced technology and data analysis — Likewise, using advanced technology to integrate and analyze data on missing and murdered Indigenous women and comparing that with sex ad data using facial recognition technology could help to quickly identify and locate missing individuals featured in sex ads. In addition, technology could be used in identifying potential victims in sex ads by homing in on specific terms that are used in ads, although this is tricky. Indeed, ads may falsely state ethnicity due to prejudices against Indigenous peoples, and some ads mislabel individuals to avoid devaluation or risk. At the same time, some ads used derogatory terms and specific tribal affiliations associated with the demand from sex buyers.
Put a face on the data — It is easy to see how the stories of these women and girls get lost as a data point. This is why it is important to amplify the stories of survivors and build awareness of the problem. Behind each data point is a person and family’s heartbreak, pain, and loss — those stories should be emphasized and disseminated.
Prioritize investigative resources in known epicenters and across borders — Investigations should focus on hotspots in which significant patterns of disappearances and sex trafficking have been identified.
Addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and sex trafficking is of paramount importance. Policymakers, communities, and individuals must unite to support these recommend actions to help ensure that every effort is made to prevent future tragedies and uphold the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples.
You can find more about the ongoing fight against sex trafficking here
