Breaking Barriers

The Breaking Barriers project aims to develop a victim-centric approach to the Canadian Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP’s) response to and engagement with victims and survivors of human trafficking. To achieve this goal, the project focuses on identifying and gaining a better understanding of the needs of trafficking victims and supporting a better access to wraparound community supports.

This pilot project will be implemented in each one of Ontario’s five regions: North East, North West, East, West and Central.

Partners

Canadian Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP’s)

Objectives of the project

Reduce barriers and improve access to wraparound support services for victims/survivors of trafficking
Enhance knowledge of the needs of victims/survivors of trafficking
Enhance relationships with community partners to improve referrals and identify gaps in support services
Enhance and improve trauma-informed and victim-centred approaches used by the police
Introduce victim’s needs assessment for victim/survivors of trafficking
Enhance the understanding of serious and organised crime issues and the needs of victims/survivors amongst policy makers

Activities under the project

Identification of international best practices in empowering victims of trafficking
Mapping community support services
Multi Agency Working Groups (MAWG) to identify specific challenges and supports in each community
Developing a Victim Needs Assessment
Training of front line officers, including victim-centred/trauma training, in each region
Dissemination of the project’s outcomes

Expected project results

Identifying international best practices in empowering victims/survivors of trafficking
Mapping of community support services
Development and utilisation of a trafficking needs assessment
Training of front line officers on trauma-informed and victim-centred approaches
Dissemination of knowledge and tools to support victims/survivors of trafficking to access wraparound services.

Funded by

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Ongoing Projects