Det. Sgt. Ryan Connolly wants parents and teens in Durham to know that human trafficking isn’t happening somewhere else, to someone else.

It’s happening here.

“We’ve seen traffickers recruiting in the Oshawa Centre food court,” he says. “We have girls working out of hotels right here in Durham. And we need to get that message out.”

This year alone, the Durham Regional Police Service human trafficking unit — which Connolly heads — has conducted 80 investigations and laid more than 130 charges.

In the past six months, 41 girls have been lured into human trafficking in Durham.

On Sept. 12, experts spoke to about 100 students at Sinclair Secondary School in Whitby, for the launch of a new website that aims to raise awareness about human trafficking.

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Developed by the Durham Region Human Trafficking Coalition, the website outlines warning signs to watch for, myths about human trafficking, who is targeted and where to get help.

“One of the main ways to fight human trafficking, is through awareness,” Connolly says. “Parents need to be educated. Watch for the signs and keep an open dialogue with your teens.”

About 75 per cent of female trafficking victims are under 18 — the age of recruitment can be as young as 12 or 13.

Marginalized youth, Indigenous youth and youth experiencing homelessness are often targeted, as well as youth who struggle with low self-esteem, bullying, poverty, abuse and family issues.

Durham police say traffickers are recruiting girls online as well as at malls, high schools, libraries, group homes, bus stops and parties at hotels.

“Some of the girls in this audience will be approached during their time in high school,” Connolly told the crowd of students at Sinclair.

Police liken human trafficking to “modern-day slavery.”

Traffickers carefully lure and groom victims, then coerce them into sex work, controlling them through psychological manipulation, threats, addiction, violence and isolation.

“There is a lot of misinformation about what trafficking looks like in Ontario, in Durham Region. This does not look like the movie Taken,” says Karly Church, who works with Victim Services of Durham Region as a human-trafficking specialist. “What it looks like is a relationship.”

She says about 85 per cent of victims identify their trafficker as their boyfriend — something parents need to keep in mind as they watch out for red flags.

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The Durham Region Human Trafficking Coalition is made up of agencies that include Victim Services of Durham Region, SafeHope Home, the Victim Witness Assistance Program, Set Free Durham, CAREA Community Health Centre, Region of Durham Social Services, Durham Mental Health Services and Lakeridge Health.

Visit www.stopht.com to learn more.

If you suspect human trafficking, contact Durham Regional Police at 1-888-579-1520 or Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) .