Police claim more than 20 vulnerable women have been victims of an “extreme” trafficking case
Investigators believe more than 20 vulnerable women in Edmonton were exploited by a human trafficking suspect who allegedly targeted victims of addiction problems and homelessness.
Christopher Becks, 37, faces seven counts, including one count each of human trafficking, procurement, obtaining material benefits, solicitation of sexual services, sexual assault, overcoming resistance to the commission of a crime and making threats.
The charges all relate to a complainant who came forward in October 2022.
But Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) Staff Sgt. Chris Hayes said investigators believe there are at least 20 other women who were targeted by Becks — identified by investigators through online ads they claim they are connected to Becks.
“This is an extreme case,” Hayes said on Thursday.
“I’ve never seen one with so many victims in my experience, but it’s very common for a trafficker to have more than one victim.”
Hayes said investigators believe Becks lured the women into working with him by promising drugs, food, shelter, money and security.
barriers to reporting
According to an ALERT press release about the case, many of the women may have known Becks as “Bear.”
Hayes hopes more of the women they believe have been exploited will come forward, but said the circumstances many of the women find themselves in — dealing with addiction, mental health, trauma and other challenges — are proving challenging have proved.
“We’re here to help these people move forward in their lives,” he said.
“But it’s difficult to have them trust the police and it’s also a difficult barrier that we face that they want to tell their story and really want to tell about this trauma.”
But after police released details about the case on Wednesday, they heard from three new women, Hayes said.
He added that ALERT doesn’t just want to hear allegations, but that the team has taken action to connect women with resources and community support.
He said ALERT’s trafficking units in Edmonton and Calgary both have embedded civilian staff who work with survivors and provide them with access to any resources needed to exit an exploitative situation.
ALERT arrested Becks, who police say is from Ponoka, Alta, on December 20, 2022 after issuing a search warrant on a home in Edmonton’s Ottewell neighborhood.
Becks has since been released on bail. His next court appearance is on March 3.
Existing social problems
Between April and December 2022, ALERT made 20 arrests, issued 88 charges and intervened in human trafficking cases involving 17 victims across the province.
The Action Coalition on Human Trafficking (ACT) Alberta, which supports human trafficking survivors, has seen an increase in referrals since early 2023.
Executive Director Kate Price said survivors of human trafficking had been referred to ACT since mid-January, eight of whom had been victims of sexual exploitation.
Addressing human trafficking properly means addressing the larger social issues that put victims in a vulnerable position in the first place, Price said.
“[Traffickers] can really only use the systems of repression that are in place,” Price said.
Price said investing in services like shelter, affordable housing and a harm reduction approach to addiction can help address vulnerabilities.
When it comes to helping victims, Price says frontline agencies like ACT try to cooperate with law enforcement as much as possible and try to remove roadblocks to reporting exploitation.
“The bias in the sex industry and towards survivors is such that … many survivors of sexual exploitation will not come forward to speak to law enforcement out of fear for their own safety — and rightly so,” she said.
She said it’s important that investigators use a trauma-informed approach to make reporting as safe as possible.
“It’s critical that the individual is approached with deliberation and caution, and giving people the space to express themselves, and then giving them the respect they deserve to be able to have a voice,” Price said.
If someone is or has been a victim of human trafficking, you can find help here:
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The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-900-1010.
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ACT Alberta can be reached during business hours at (780) 474-1104 or email us at [email protected]
Both agencies are absolutely confidential.
