The purpose of BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention supported by Dinner Optimist Club of Calgary and Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation, is to prevent children from being recruited for sex trafficking. We use story, film and workshop activities to provide awareness, prevention and actions for children and youth. The BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention program is developed to empower youth and their caregivers and educators to recognize the signs of grooming for human sex trafficking and to how to prevent it.
The average age of recruitment is 12-14. Children and youth are recruited, through a boyfriend/girlfriend pimp often using peers at school and through social media. The grooming process is done covertly and the 'switch' from 'caring' to pimping often happens within 24-48 hours. The cycle is typical and can be shown through story, learning tools and role playing. We find that educating 'how to look out for a friend' is the most powerful approach.
Knowing that "most adult sex trade workers report that their victimization began at a very young age; sometimes as young as 9, and at an average age of 12-14." we have a tremendous responsibility as a community.
No one is immune. But it’s preventable! Prevention education for sex trafficking is like vaccinations for smallpox. The target audiences include children of school age, their educators, caregivers, plus mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands, and all others.
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Learn how human sex trafficking recruitment happens across ALL demographics and how BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention specialists can deliver an engaging session to help protect the children and youth.
Our team of educators will show you a proven and best-selling film about two teens’ enlightening real-life encounters, then facilitate a lively workshop that empowers youth with prevention knowledge.
This BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention program is presented from the angle of helping children and youth to know the signs of sex trafficking, and how to help them look out for a friend.
We have a tremendous opportunity to help children and youth avoid being recruited into this fastest growing crime. It’s preventable!
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The Approach:
The approach of BRAVE Education for Trafficking Prevention is to provide sessions in schools, facilitating workshops using role-models, film and story to foster prevention and action for children and youth. There are over 30 million slaves are in the world today. Canada is a country of high incidence.
• The average age of entry in the sex trade is 12 -14 years old
• 90% of Canada’s trafficking victims come from within Canada’s borders.
• Over 50% are indigenous.
• Most are girls.
To scale up the program in-schools, we are developing tools of role model presenters, making presentations and filming to create tools using stories of Canadians. We will use content developed for educational use that clearly shows the way children and youth are recruited, through a boyfriend/girlfriend pimp and peers.
BRAVE Communications, the instigator of this program, is a leading marketing and communications agency for social impact. BRAVE works with some of our country's most innovative leaders, providing engagement, strategy and development to foster positive change in communities, sectors and populations.
