The law enforcement sector

In matters of sexual exploitation, the law enforcement sector receives complaints from victims and accompanies them through the process to ensure that complaints are maintained despite possible pressure from a pimp. In order to assist victims, the law enforcement sector have a mandate to collaborate with citizens and intervention workers from institutional and community sectors.

From a prevention perspective, the law enforcement sector helps identify youth at risk of sexual exploitation. Their duties include collecting and verifying or refuting information provided by the Department of Youth Protection in cases of sexual abuse which indicate a situation of sexual exploitation. During this investigation, the minor, the minor’s parents and other adults who are in a position of authority with the minor, meet with the appointed law enforcement officer who has been specifically trained to intervene in the context of sexual exploitation.

In addition, the Équipe intégrée de lutte contre le proxénétisme – EILP (Integrated Team to Fight Procuring) was implemented in 2017 in response to the findings of the Quebec government’s Stratégie gouvernementale pour lutter contre les violences sexuelles. The EILP’s mandate is to fight procuring and human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation by tackling the interregional, interprovincial and international networks operating in Quebec. To carry out its mandate, the EILP targets individuals or groups who profit from these types of sexual exploitation or who contribute to it by purchasing sexual services. The Sûreté du Québec is responsible for coordinating the EILP at the provincial level while other law enforcement agencies that provide level 3 and higher services also participate as they have the expertise to carry out investigations in the area of procuring. Other objectives of the EILP include protecting victims of sexual exploitation, effectively intervening in cases of procuring, and identifying the emergence of new phenomena.