Help For Youth

What would you do if this was happening to one of your friends?

  • Your friend is having problems at home or at school and starts hanging around with a new friend who is older and seems to have lots of stuff, like nice car, phone, jewelry.  The new friend could be a pimp or recruiter.
  • The pimp acts like a “boyfriend” or “bestfriend” who gains your friend’s trust through promises and by telling them he really cares about them, maybe even says they love your friend.
  • Your friend is taken to parties and is introduced to drinking and drugs.
  • The pimp introduces your friend to other friends (they are other pimps, recruiters and sexually exploited youth) and pretty soon your friend is being slowly separated from family and friends; your friend starts skipping school, and seems different to you.
  • Your friend’s new friend (pimp) has a lot of control over your friend and your friend seems to be afraid of them at times.
  • Soon you hear your friend has been forced into the Sex Trade.

OR

  • Your friend is having problems at home or at school and they are befriended by a recruiter (although your friend does not know their new friend is a recruiter at the time)
  • The recruiter, a street wise person, is paying attention to your friend, and your friend thinks this is cool.
  • The recruiter gradually gains your friend’s trust, and temps them with stories about the exciting, glamorous life of the Sex Trade, where they will make lots of money, have nice clothes, the latest technology, an apartment etc.
  • The recruiter gradually introduces your friend to the Sex Trade, by having your friend “spotting” (keeping watch for a “bad date” by taking license numbers, or keeping watch for the police while the recruiter does business with a customer).
  • The recruiter introduces your friend to the pimp and they are forced into the Sex Trade (the recruiter will often receive money from the pimp for “delivering” a new youth).

(It is important to remember that both male and female youth can be recruited into the Sex Trade, and both males and females can be pimps or recruiters  In BC, about half of sexually exploited youth are male)

What would you do? Who could you call? Who can help you and your friend?

This website is designed to help youth find resources in Victoria that can help. Youth are able to provide support to other youth at risk. Youth will often tell their peers what is happening in their lives before they will ask adults for help and support. It is important that all youth be aware of danger signs and supports available for youth at risk.

Please see the list of resources where you or your friend can call for help.

Please tell someone who can help; either your parents, a teacher, a counsellor etc. Saying nothing will not help your friend, in fact it may put them in further danger as they become more involved in the Sex Trade and are exposed to violence, drug and alcohol addiction, illness etc.  Getting help to save your friend is not ratting them out.