CTV News Video
Lisa Rossinngton on human trafficking law
By: ctvbc.ca
Date: Friday Dec. 23, 2011 5:39 PM PT
Anti-human trafficking advocates say they're keeping a close watch on the case of a Vancouver man charged with pimping out four young girls.
Reza Moazami, 27, was released from custody Thursday night after two months in jail on 18 criminal counts including trafficking in underage persons, living on the avails of a juvenile, sexual interference and sexual exploitation.
The case marks the first time that the charge of trafficking in underage persons has been used in B.C. since it came into effect last year, and legal experts it signals a change in how prostitution cases are prosecuted.
"Police are no longer willing to look these cases as simply prostitution cases, which is historically how they have been dealt with and often dismissed by many people.... Now they're being recognized for what they are, which is serious allegations of child sex trafficking," UBC law professor Ben Perrin told CTV News after the charges were announced.
The trafficking charge carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison.
Advocates say that human trafficking can encompass crimes far beyond illegal trade in people.
"It's the exploitation, using people as property, as slaves, to some extent," said Rosalind Currie of the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons.
She says human traffickers prey on the most vulnerable people in society.
"We believe aboriginal women and girls are often very vulnerable, runaways kids that are in trouble with the law.... We really need to protect them," she said.
The father of one of Moazami's alleged victims describes what happened to his daughter as abduction.
"They were lured into it. It's not like my daughter decided, ‘I want to be a prostitute.' It doesn't work that way. It was well planned," said the dad, whose identity is protected by law.
"She's a very, very confused kid. The damage is done."
Moazami is scheduled to make his next appearance in court in January.
With reports from CTV British Columbia's Mi-Jung Lee and Lisa Rossington
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