As human trafficking increases across the province the Windsor Police Service is being applauded for its approach to the crime and its victims.
"The police's first job is to identify and basically rescue these, mostly, girls and then we get them to the resources they need and we work in more of a team effort with our social service partners," says Windsor Police Staff Sergeant Jeff Mailloux.
Windsor police have partnered with social services, legal assistance and victim services to form WEfight. The organization gives support and a way out to women trapped in the sex trade.
"A lot of the time we're just trying to meet these girls, let them know what's out there and what's available for them. We're not trying to enforce things against them as much any more as we're trying to help them and get them out of this situation," says Mailloux.
Mailloux says there are approximately 40 women or girls in Windsor involved in the human trafficking on a daily basis. He says most of the girls meet the 'pimps' in seemingly harmless situations.
"It could start out as a date or at a party and then they befriend them and then sometimes they are whisked out of their home town to a different town, sometimes they're physically held against their will, sometimes they're plied with drugs or money to stay with these pimps and they just get into a vicious cycle," says Mailloux.
MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock Laurie Scott applauded the Windsor approach this week and hopes to see it emulated in the rest of the province.
