Inuit-Specific Human Trafficking Definition
Human trafficking is the exploitation of Inuit through manipulation, coercion, deception, grooming, or threats. While it takes many forms for Inuit, it most commonly involves sexual exploitation or forced labour.
Human trafficking involving Inuit occurs within the context of ongoing colonialism and the legacy of historical colonial harms, including forced displacement, systemic discrimination, intergenerational violence, and racism. This exploitation includes both overt acts and more subtle forms of coercive practices that prey on vulnerability. These vulnerabilities can arise from involvement in the child welfare or criminal justice systems, inadequate or unstable housing, substance use, mental health challenges, unmet basic needs, limited access to services in Inuktut, and the lasting impacts of intergenerational trauma.
Human trafficking involving Inuit can occur within Inuit communities, in southern regions of Canada, and across borders. Inuit are at an increased risk of trafficking during periods of displacement, including for medical travel, to pursue further education, following incarceration, or when families must flee violence at home. Although Inuit women are disproportionately impacted, Inuit of any gender may be affected.
This definition was developed by the MMIWG Inuit Caucus, a working group chaired by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and includes representatives from Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, Makivvik, Nunatsiavut Government and Pauktuutit. The definition was developed to reflect the realities and systemic factors that Inuit experience in the context of human trafficking.
Inunnut-Turaangallariktuq Inunnik Niurrutiqaqattarnirmik Tukisinaqsititsigiarniq
Inunnik niurrutiqarniq piqasiujjijuq Inunnik aturnirluktauninginnik tiliurinikkut, ajauqtuinikkut, silairrijainikkut, paqqiksinikkut uvvaluunniit kappiasaarinikkut. Amisunik ajjigiinngittitunik aturaluaqtillugu; Inunnut, piqasiujjigajunniqpaangujuq arnarniaqtauvannirmik/anguniaqtauvannirmiglu uvvaluunniit pilirititauvalirninginnik akiliqtauvangitumik.
Inungnik niurrutiqaqattarniq pijjutiqaqtunik Inunnik kajusijukkut assiminut aulatauvangninginnik maliktunik qallunaanut ammalu taimanganik aturnirmik quaqsaarnaqtukkurutauvakutunik, piqasiutillugit nuutaujariaqaqtitauningit, piusilingmi narrunaqtuutitsivanirmik ilainnaaqtauninginnik, kinguvaariittutigut aanniqtirivanninginnik, ammalu uviniqatiginngitamini akiraqturni. Tamanna aturnirluktauninga piqasiujjijuq tamakkiinnik takuksaujunik inunnik niurrutiqarnirmik ammalu takuksaungittunik ajauqtuinirmik atuqtauvaktunik aannirutauvaktunik. Tamakkua attanaqtumiinniujut saqqittunnaqtut surusinnut najuqtauvaktunik inulirijikkutigut uvvaluunniit iqqaqtuivikkuuqtitaulaurninginnut, naammangittuni aaqiumaninginullunuut, naamangininginnut uvvaluuniit igluksaqatsianginnirminut, surranaqtunigluuniit aturnirluqattarnirmut, isumakkulunniit aksururnaqtukuuqatarninginnut, ikajuqtaujariaqarninga angumajaungikkuni, piritsirautiqangiluarnirmuluunii Inuktut ikajuttaujunarniq ammalu kinguvaanginnut kajussiinarninginnut quaqsaarnaqtukkurutiviningit.
Inungnik niurrutiksaqasuunguniq Inungnik atulirunaqput inuit nunalingni, Kanataup nigiani qalunaani, ammalu akiani kigliqarviuninginni. Inuit attarnaqtumiinniqsauvangmata niurrutauqattarunarninginni nuutausimaninginni, piqasiutillugit aanniaviliaqtillugit, ilinniakkanniriaqtuqtillugit, tigujausimalauqtillugit, uvvaluunniit nuutausimakainnarninginni attanaqtumiittailimanirmut aaniqtiqtauvangnirminik. Inuit arnait ajjigiingitunik pinirluktaugajungniqsaugaluaqsutik, Inuit arnait, angutiillunnitt aktuqtausimajunarmijut.
Tukiliuqtausimaningit taakkua titiraqtaulauqtut taikkununga Nanijaujunnailissimajut Inuaqtaussimajullu Arnait, Niviaqsiallu Inuit Katimajiralaanginnut, pilirijiujuni timiqutigijat iksivautarijaullutik Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, ilagijaullutik Inuvialuit Aviktuqsimaninginnik Timuqutinga, Nunavut Tunngavikkut Timuqutinga, Makkivikkut, Nunatsiavut Gavamakkut ammalu Pauktuutikkut. Tukilianguningit kamagijauvalialauqtut saqaiumattiaqullugit inuusinginni qanuilingallaringningit Inuit ammalu aaqiumajauningi nanituinaq pijjutauvangningit Inuit aktuqtauvangninginni pijjutilingni kinnakkutuinarniq niurutiksaqasuungunirmik.
ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ-ᑐᕌᖕᒐᓪᓚᕆᒃᑐᖅ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᑐᑭᓯᓇᖅᓯᑎᑦᓯᒋᐊᕐᓂᖅ
ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᖅ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᒃᑕᐅᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᓕᐅᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᓯᓚᐃᕐᕆᔭᐃᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐸᖅᑭᒃᓯᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑲᑉᐱᐊᓵᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ. ᐊᒥᓱᓂᒃ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᙱᑦᑎᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕋᓗᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ; ᐃᓄᓐᓄᑦ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᒐᔪᓐᓂᖅᐹᖕᒍᔪᖅ ᐊᕐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᕐᒥᒃ/ᐊᖕᒍᓂᐊᖅᑕᐅᕙᓐᓂᕐᒥᒡᓗ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑕᐅᕙᓕᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ ᐊᑭᓕᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᒋᑐᒥᒃ.
ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᑲᔪᓯᔪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᔅᓯᒥᓄᑦ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ ᒪᓕᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᒪᖕᒐᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᖁᐊᖅᓵᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑯᕈᑕᐅᕙᑯᑐᓂᒃ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓂᖕᒋᑦ, ᐱᐅᓯᓕᖕᒥ ᓇᕐᕈᓇᖅᑑᑎᑦᓯᕙᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐃᓚᐃᓐᓈᖅᑕᐅᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ, ᑭᖕᒍᕚᕇᑦᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᖅᑎᕆᕙᓐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᕕᓂᖃᑎᒋᙱᑕᒥᓂ ᐊᑭᕋᖅᑐᕐᓂ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᒃᑕᐅᓂᖕᒐ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᔾᔨᔪᖅ ᑕᒪᒃᑮᓐᓂᒃ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᖃᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᑯᒃᓴᐅᖕᒋᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐊᔭᐅᖅᑐᐃᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐋᓐᓂᕈᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒦᓐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑦᑐᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᓱᕈᓯᓐᓄᑦ ᓇᔪᖅᑕᐅᕙᒃᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑎᒍᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᖅᑲᖅᑐᐃᕕᒃᑰᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ, ᓈᒻᒪᖕᒋᑦᑐᓂ ᐋᕿᐅᒪᓂᖕᒋᓄᓪᓗᓅᑦ, ᓈᒪᖕᒋᓂᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓃᑦ ᐃᒡᓗᒃᓴᖃᑦᓯᐊᖕᒋᓐᓂᕐᒥᓄᑦ, ᓱᕐᕋᓇᖅᑐᓂᒡᓘᓃᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᓗᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ, ᐃᓱᒪᒃᑯᓗᓐᓃᑦ ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᖅᑐᑰᖃᑕᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑕᐅᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖕᒐ ᐊᖕᒍᒪᔭᐅᖕᒋᒃᑯᓂ, ᐱᕆᑦᓯᕋᐅᑎᖃᖕᒋᓗᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᓘᓃ ᐃᓄᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᑦᑕᐅᔪᓇᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑭᖕᒍᕚᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ ᑲᔪᔅᓰᓇᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ ᖁᐊᖅᓵᕐᓇᖅᑐᒃᑯᕈᑎᕕᓂᖕᒋᑦ.
ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᓲᖕᒍᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᓕᕈᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ, ᑲᓇᑕᐅᑉ ᓂᒋᐊᓂ ᖃᓗᓈᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑭᐊᓂ ᑭᒡᓕᖃᕐᕕᐅᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᖅᑐᒦᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᕙᖕᒪᑕ ᓂᐅᕐᕈᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕈᓇᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂ ᓅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᕕᓕᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᑎᒍᔭᐅᓯᒪᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᓅᑕᐅᓯᒪᑲᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒦᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐋᓂᖅᑎᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ ᐊᔾᔨᒌᖕᒋᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᓂᕐᓗᒃᑕᐅᒐᔪᖕᓂᖅᓴᐅᒐᓗᐊᖅᓱᑎᒃ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ, ᐊᖕᒍᑏᓪᓗᓐᓂᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᓇᕐᒥᔪᑦ.
ᑐᑭᓕᐅᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᖕᒋᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᓄᖕᒐ ᓇᓂᔭᐅᔪᓐᓇᐃᓕᔅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐊᖅᑕᐅᔅᓯᒪᔪᓪᓗ ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ, ᓂᕕᐊᖅᓯᐊᓪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑲᑎᒪᔨᕋᓛᖕᒋᓐᓄᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂ ᑎᒥᖁᑎᒋᔭᑦ ᐃᒃᓯᕙᐅᑕᕆᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᑕᐱᕇᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᕕᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂᒃ ᑎᒧᖁᑎᖕᒐ, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᑐᙵᕕᒃᑯᑦ ᑎᒧᖁᑎᖕᒐ, ᒪᒃᑭᕕᒃᑯᑦ, ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕗᑦ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐸᐅᒃᑑᑎᒃᑯᑦ. ᑐᑭᓕᐊᖕᒍᓂᖕᒋᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᕙᓕᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᓴᖃᐃᐅᒪᑦᑎᐊᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᖕᒋᓐᓂ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᖕᒐᓪᓚᕆᖕᓂᖕᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᕿᐅᒪᔭᐅᓂᖕᒋ ᓇᓂᑐᐃᓇᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᖕᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᕙᖕᓂᖕᒋᓐᓂ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᓕᖕᓂ ᑭᓐᓇᒃᑯᑐᐃᓇᕐᓂᖅ ᓂᐅᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᓲᖕᒍᓂᕐᒥᒃ.
