Canada’s financial intelligence agency is warning that the FIFA World Cup could increase the risk of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, saying large international sporting events create greater demand for illicit services.
Large-scale events typically drive surges in demand not only for illicit services, but also for labour in hospitality and other tourism-related industries—factors that can leave vulnerable people, including temporary foreign workers, at greater risk of exploitation, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) said in a recent bulletin.
“Major international sporting and entertainment events can draw hundreds of thousands of domestic and international visitors to host cities,” the bulletin says. “This influx is likely to drive increased economic activity across hospitality, entertainment, transportation, and tourism-related sectors, including sectors that may be vulnerable to human trafficking-related exploitation.”…