Human Trafficking Awareness Day: Understanding the Link Between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Human Trafficking
Every year on February 22nd, Canada marks National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, a moment for communities to reflect on the systemic harms of trafficking and how it connects to other forms of gender-based violence, including IPV.
Human trafficking remains a serious concern in Ontario. Two-thirds of police-reported human trafficking cases in Canada occur in Ontario, and 62% of Canadian human trafficking cases originate in the GTA. This form of gender-based violence, like other forms of GBV, is rooted in power and control, and disproportionately affects women and girls, while perpetrators are most often men.
How IPV and Human Trafficking Intersect
There is a very strong correlation between human trafficking and intimate partner violence. According to Statistics Canada, 91% of human trafficking survivors/victims knew the trafficker, and about one-third (34%) of survivors/victims of human trafficking were trafficked by an intimate partner.
What Is Being Done
Ontario has completed its five-year Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy from 2020-2025, and in 2025, Ontario launched a renewed Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy for 2025–2030.
At Luke’s Place, we remain deeply committed to supporting survivors of IPV, while also recognizing the overlapping risks of human trafficking. We know that trafficking does not exist in isolation; often, it can be embedded within intimate relationships, family systems, and experiences of coercive control. For that reason, our work includes ongoing screening for indicators of trafficking risk or exposure, alongside IPV-informed support, legal information, and safety planning.
We are equally committed to strengthening our own knowledge and capacity, and to sharing that learning with the broader community. This means staying informed about evolving trafficking dynamics, listening to survivor-led expertise, and engaging in cross-sector collaboration that reflects the complexity of survivors’ experiences. We look forward to participating in the National Dialogue to Strengthen Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts roundtable talks this March.
This month, we are honoured to collaborate on a two-day training in Thunder Bay with Beendigen. They will lead a presentation focused on human trafficking alongside our session on IPV and family court. Together, we aim to deepen understanding of how IPV and trafficking intersect, and to support frontline workers in identifying risk, responding safely, and connecting survivors to appropriate, trauma and culturally responsive supports.
Through partnerships like this, we continue to work toward a more informed response that recognizes the full scope of gender-based violence and centres survivors.
Where to Find Support
If you or someone you know is experiencing trafficking, there is support available. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline, a confidential, multi-lingual service, is available 24/7. If you suspect that you or someone you know may be at risk, need access to support, or want to learn more, call 1-833-900-1010 or connect with them via chat.
If you are seeking support with family law during or after leaving an abusive partner, please reach out to us at 905-728-0978 ext. 235 or toll-free at 1-866-516-3116 ext. 235 or email us to book an appointment.
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