Who to Contact

If you know or suspect someone is experiencing sexual exploitation or human trafficking.

Step 1: CALL 911 If you need an emergency response!

If someone is in immediate risk of danger or bodily harm, that is an emergency!

Step 2: Assess Your Duty to Report

Everyone in Nova Scotia has the legal Duty to Report any reasonable suspicion that a child is being abused or neglected.

If the Duty to Report applies, call the Child Protection intake team where the young person lives. If you are not sure if it applies, you can call Child Welfare using hypotheticals for guidance.

When you call, you will be asked for:

  • information about the child/youth;

  • your relationship with them;

  • the reason you suspect abuse or neglect;

  • as well as any other information that is considered relevant to the safety and wellbeing of the child/youth, other children and family members and service providers.

  • You have a duty to immediately report suspected abuse (including sexual exploitation) or neglect to a Child Welfare agency.

  • You have a duty to immediately report suspected abuse (including sexual exploitation), or neglect to a child welfare agency IF the abuse or neglect is likely to be caused by a parent or guardian; or another child under the age of 16 might also be at risk of abuse or neglect.

  • You do not have a legal duty to report.

Step 3: Hotlines & Specialized Supports

The Following Non-Profit and Government Agencies have specialized knowledge or training on the issue of Human Trafficking & Sexual Exploitation:

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

Call: 1-833-900-1010 Or Chat Online

Available across Canada, 24/7

If you are a victim/survivor of commercial sexual exploitation or human trafficking, or you believe someone else might be, contact this hotline. The Hotline Response Advocates will connect callers o support services and will also take tips, answer questions, and forward information (when appropriate) to law enforcement.

This hotline responds to all forms of human trafficking, including both sex and labour trafficking. The hotline provides assistance to and on behalf of individuals of any age, gender, whether they are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or foreign nationals.

The hotline uses a victim-centrered approach to connect human trafficking victims and survivors with emergency transition, and long-term supports and services in their community. The hotline acts as a central response and referral mechanism, offering 24/7 access in over 200 languages to a safe and confidential space to ask for help, connect services, and report tips.

YWCA Halifax — NSTAY Team

NSTAY@ywcahalifax.com

Access anywhere in Nova Scotia

NSTAY is a program which provides exploited/trafficked youth with wrap-around support and connects them with the services they need. NSTAY has been developed with a trauma-informed lens and takes a harm-reduction approach. It is a non-judgmental program and incorporates promising practices from across Canada and is informed by those with experience of exploitation within the sex trade.

GATE Healing Outreach Line

A1-833-625-GATE (4283)

Phoneline Hours:

  • Monday: 9am-1am

  • Tuesday: 9am-11pm

  • Wednesday: 9am-1am

  • Thursday: 9am-1am

  • Friday: 9am-1am

  • Saturday: 10am-1am

  • Sunday: 12pm-1am

Access anywhere in Nova Scotia

A component of EFRY’s GATE (Girls Against Trafficking & Exploitation) program that provides services, outreach, and one-on-one support to young women at risk of, currently, or are survivors of CSEC in rural Nova Scotia. Supports are provided after hours and on weekends, are non-judgmental, confidential, and offered both in community and phone outreach. 

GATE Outreach can help with referrals and navigating including housing, Department of Community Services, Criminal Justice Services, and many more.

Independent Legal Advice Program

Call 211

Independent Legal Advice Program provides up to 4 hours of free, independent legal advice for anyone 16+ who experienced sexual assault in Nova Scotia. Participants register through 211 and do not have to report to the police or take legal action if they use this service. They also do not need to provide details about what happened, only say “I have been sexually assaulted in Nova Scotia and I would like to speak with a lawyer”.

Nova Scotia Victim Services — Human Trafficking Navigators

Available 8:30am – 4:30pm

HRM: 1-833-424-3307

Cape Breton, Richmond, Victoria, Guysborough and Inverness: 1-800-565-0071

Annapolis, Digby, West Hants, Kings, Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth: 1-800-565-1805

East Hants, Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou and Antigonish: 1-800-565-7912

The role of the Human trafficking navigator is to maintain effective communication networks with justice, community, and government officials by supporting victims for access to justice, providing referrals to culturally appropriate resources, coordinating services for victims of crime within both the criminal justice system and the community, and monitoring and recommending intervention strategies to address gaps in service at the community level.

Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team

Interventions available across Nova Scotia but only mobile within most communities of HRM.

Call 1-902-429-8167 or Toll Free at 1-888-429-8167

24/7 phone support. If in-person crisis intervention is needed, can be dispatched daily between 1:00pm-1:00am.

Support those of people of any age experiencing a mental health crisis including thoughts of suicide, distorted or psychotic thinking, intense anxiety, overwhelming depression, feeling unable to cope, or feeling out of control.

Serviced include telephone support, problem solving support, risk assessment, safety planning and linkages to appropriate resources within the hospital and/or community.

Step 4: Tiplines and Policing

These policing agencies have members that are involved in the TESS Partnership and/or have specific knowledge and training related to CSEC.

There is no Duty to Report to Police!

You should not call police without consent unless the youth is in immediate risk of danger or harm.

Before making that call to police, you must consider the following:

  • Is the youth at immediate risk of danger or harm? Does a 911 call have to be made?

  • Are the police safe for the youth?

  • Has the child/youth (or their parents) expressed that they want to bring charges forward? If they have, do they understand the process of launching an investigation?

Provincial Human Trafficking Team (RCMP Integrated)

Tipline: 902-449-2425 (call or text 24/7)

Police in Nova Scotia want to encourage anyone who is concerned that someone could be a victim of human trafficking to report it by calling or texting the tipline. Monitored 24/7 by a police officer who can get victims to safety. You can also contact police in your local area for more information.

Halifax Regional Police - Integrated Human Trafficking and Missing Persons Team

Call: 902-490-5142 to reach out for support or share information.

Call: 902-449-2425 to file a report and have an officer follow up with you.

Please note these lines are not monitored 24/7.

Crime Stoppers

Access anywhere in Canada.

Call toll free: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or on a secure web tip at crime at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or use the P3 Tips App

Anonymous tipline for any crime in Canada.

CyperTip.ca

Access anywhere in Canada

1-866-658-9022 or online.

Operated by Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Cybertip.ca is Canada’s tipline for reporting online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. If something has happened online that has made you (or someone you know) feel uncomfortable, unsafe, scared, or worried, CyberTip will listen to your concerns and give you information about steps to take to increase the safety of the child/youth involved.

Step 5: The TESS Directory

The Online TESS Directory contains information about the programs and services available in Nova Scotia for anyone who is at-risk of entering, entrenched in, or exiting the sex trade; and the people who are working with or supporting them.