Abbotsford residents to gather to learn about the issue of human trafficking and sexual exploitation

ABBOTSFORD — The Abbotsford Police Department, Abbotsford School District and BC RCMP are encouraging residents to attend the Be Well, Be Safe awareness event Wednesday in Abbotsford.

Cathy Peters will be the guest speaker for the evening. Peters is a highly decorated speaker on the topic of human sex trafficking, sexual exploitation and child sex trafficking for prostitution.

“Today’s youth, children, the vulnerable and marginalized are at a huge risk of early sexualization and sexual predation,” says Peters on the Be Amazing website. “As a society we have a moral obligation to address this exploitation immediately, resolutely and robustly. If we do not do so, the harm caused to future generations will be incalculable.”

According to the organization, the average age of children entering prostitution in Canada ranges from 12 to 14. Traffickers will even target children as young as 8. “Society and culture have come to a point where the most vulnerable are not being protected,” says Peters.