At a press conference on October 23, Councilor Rowena Santos said that young women who come Canada are vulnerable to sexual exploitation and human trafficking because they do not have enough money to cover their cost of living.

“Young girls have to choose between living in a tent or being sexually exploited to be able to pay the rent,” Santos told the media.

“Due to financial hardship and a lack of affordable housing, many young women are forced into unsafe situations and threatened with eviction,” she said.

While some public institutions and private schools warn of the risks of sexual exploitation or trafficking linked to their orientations, Santos believes more needs to be done.

“Educational institutions must provide training and information to international students about their rights in Canada,” she said.

In a motion presented to council, Santos said guidance from postsecondary schools “only scratches the surface of what they need to know and lacks information on how to protect themselves from exploitation.” .

Human trafficking often goes unreported because international students fear being sent back to their home country if they call the police.

“Under the conditions of student visas, girls are warned that if they engage in sex work, they may be deported,” Santos said. “So girls don’t feel safe reporting it.”

Mayor Patrick Brown said at the news conference that the city council passed a motion asking the federal government to remove the sex work clause from the student visa rules.

Under the terms of student visas, girls are warned that if they engage in sex work, they may be deported.
^{_{Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton}}

“The message from Peel Regional Police is: don’t be afraid to come forward,” said Mayor Brown.

Brown said in Peel Region, 160 people have been charged with human trafficking over the past four years, although only some of those cases involved international students. He stressed that the number of incidents is likely much higher due to fear of being reported.

Brampton council wants the federal government to partner on a pilot project to create a hub providing comprehensive services to keep international students safe. No one from the Liberal government attended the press conference.