Michele Anderson is a Canadian anti-human trafficking advocate at Covenant House Toronto who specializes in working to support victims of sex trafficking and advocating on their behalf.[1][2][3][4][5][6] In 2014 Covenant House described Anderson as having over twenty years experience working with youth victimized by sex traffickers.[7]
Michele Anderson | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | anti-human trafficking advocate, criminologist |
Anderson plays a key role as part of Covenant House's Human Trafficking Team in supporting victims and educating service providers and law enforcement to recognize the signs of a victim and how to help them. Police routinely call upon Anderson when they make raids, or otherwise discover victims of sex trafficking.[8]
Covenant House launched its comprehensive plan to combat sex trafficking in 2016. The plan proposes measures ranging from prevention to enhanced victim services, a research and evaluation component and an online resource hub[9][10]
Awards
editAnderson was presented with a 2015 Ontario Victim Services Awards of Distinction for her work.[11][12]
References
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Wendy Gillis (2014-05-27). "Human trafficking conviction a first for Toronto". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Though many believe human trafficking involves only foreign victims, young girls and women from Barrie, Kingston, Oshawa, Mississauga and across the GTA are increasingly victimized, according to Michele Anderson, a human trafficking specialist with Covenant House, an agency for homeless youth.
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Ovivia Carville (2015-12-14). "The Game: Living Hell in hotel chains". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Michele Anderson, who works with trafficked victims at Toronto's Covenant House, said she's also starting to see a new trend where girls are now being recruited through online dating sites, such as Plenty of Fish and Tinder.
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Olivia Carville (2015-12-19). "Sex trafficking cases hard to prove as victims often recant out of fear, love". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Michele Anderson, a sex-trafficking specialist at Toronto's Covenant House said the trial process was "brutal and harsh" on victims.
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Marion Warnica (2016-02-24). "Human traffickers, and how they could be named dangerous offenders". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
'I think they just want it over. I think they just want it done,' Michele Anderson, an advocate for human trafficking victims through Covenant House, says about the two girls victimized by a Toronto pimp.
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Tavia Grant (2016-02-10). "The Trafficked". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
'They don't get to go home at the end of the day or on weekends,' says Michele Anderson, a specialist in human trafficking at Toronto-based Covenant House, the largest agency in Canada for homeless youth.
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Avery Haines (2015-04-22). "Modern pimps have more resources to lure vulnerable women". City TV. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Anderson said these pimps prey on their victims' vulnerability and romance them with attention and gifts, leading them to believe they were in a 'boyfriend [and] girlfriend relationship.'
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"First human trafficking conviction in Toronto". Covenant House. 2014-06-18. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Michele, who has worked with victims of sexual exploitation for over 20 years, says the victims in this case, like the many she has seen, are severely traumatized by these horrific crimes and require long-term support to help rebuild their lives. They have received care and counseling at Covenant House Toronto.
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Christie Blatchford (2015-03-31). "Christie Blatchford: Whatever you name it, young victims 'destroyed' at the hands of pimps". National Post. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Now, they invite along community partners, and so at the podium with Insp. Beaven-Desjardins were Michele Anderson, a human trafficking specialist for Covenant House, an agency with shelters in Toronto and Vancouver that help homeless youth in myriad ways, and Dawn Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada.
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"Covenant House launching campaign to help end sex trafficking". CBC News. 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
'[Sex trafficking] is happening right under our noses,' said Michele Anderson, a sex trafficking specialist who works at Covenant House. 'It could be happening to a girl just like a girl you know. They are lured in public places — schools, malls and online,' she said.
- ^ "10-million anti-trafficking plan | Canada's Largest Homeless Youth Agency". www.covenanthousetoronto.ca. Retrieved 2017-05-08.
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"Covenant House sex-trafficking specialist wins Ontario Victim Services Award". Covenant House. 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Michele Anderson, Covenant House Toronto sex-trafficking specialist, who has spent more than 20 years supporting young victims, was among the recipients of today's Ontario Attorney General's Victim Services Awards of Distinction.
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"Recipients of the 2015 Victim Services Awards of Distinction". Government of Ontario. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
Michele has used her expertise and experience to train police officers and city employees.