- Definition
Sex trafficking is when someone forces or tricks another person, often a child, into sexual acts for their own profit. This is illegal, and no one can agree to be sex trafficked.
Someone might be trafficked after being promised a modeling job or a loving relationship, only to be forced into sexual exploitation.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Sex trafficking is like when someone offers a gift or a promise, but it's really a trap to take away your freedom and control over your own body.
Ask your child: What are some ways someone might try to pressure or trick you online?
Common mix-up: Some people think a young person can agree to this. The critical truth is that no one under 18 can consent to sex work, and no one of any age can ever consent to being trafficked.
Examples
- An older person online offering gifts and money to a younger person in exchange for sexual acts or photos.
- A person being moved to a new city and having their phone and ID taken away by someone who then controls them.
sex trafficking is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
