Students join fight against human trafficking


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Human trafficking may sound like a problem that occurs in Third World countries, but it happens in the GTA.

"Girls as young as 12-years-old are being forced to sell their bodies," said Shae Invidiata, founder of Free-Them. "You may think it's all girls from bad homes and situations, but it's not. It could happen to anyone." Students at Oakville Trafalgar high school have stepped up to fight human trafficking, working with Free-Them and another group, Walk With Me, to promote awareness this month.

"These poor people are being violated. Some people don't even know this is happening (in Toronto) so no one can help them... It's just awful," said Kristin Gottshalk, 17, a Grade 12 student who has taken lead of the school's Free-Them month awareness team.


Katarina MacLeod a front-line worker for Walk With Me said every circumstance is different, but many young girls are tricked into "the game" by boyfriends and even parents.

"I've seen men literally line up around the corner to be with a 14-year-old girl, and I know her mother put her there," she said.

Gottshalk became involved in the fight against human trafficking when her parents went to an event where Invidiata spoke about the horrors that human trafficking victims endure. Gottshalk asked Invidiata to speak to her law class and formed the Free-Them group at her school a short time later.

"I feel like I live in a little bubble and I had no idea this was happening in Oakville. These people need help and right now; they're on their own somewhere being tortured," Gottshalk said.

Invidiata who has worked to help women and children escape human trafficking for eight years has embraced the opportunity to support the student's efforts to fight the problem.

"Just by writing Free-Them on your arm, you're raising awareness because you'll have to answer questions about it and explain it to people," she said. "These girls are telling everyone and getting more people involved."

Jamie McDonald, 17, a member of the school's group can't even picture what it's like to be forced into the sex trade.

"It hurts your stomach because it's scary. I would never expect that to be happening in Oakville," she said.