Latest news with #Dharmesh Patel
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Here's how Windsor hotels are training staff to recognize signs of human trafficking
Hotel and motel staff can play a vital role in recognizing the signs of human trafficking, the chair of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association says. Dharmesh Patel says he's particularly encouraging Windsor owners of independent hotels who don't have access to corporate training programs on the topic to take advantage of a free course for staff and managers called Not in Our Hotel. The course teaches students to spot the signs of possible human trafficking and to safely report them, said Patel, who is also the general manager of the Quality Inn Leamington. "So if someone's adamant about paying in cash or doesn't have a bank issued credit card," he said. "Then you're also looking for things like … if you see signs of fear on the people that are with them." Staff might also notice a person bringing in guests through a side door, he said. The biggest red flag But the biggest red flag is a lot of traffic to and from one room. Windsor's status as a border city and travel hub makes it a target for traffickers, Patel added. "This is being proactive and protecting vulnerable individuals. And then for us in hospitality, it's not just about the guest's comfort anymore. It's about guest safety and … community responsibility." Just over 4,500 incidents of human trafficking were reported by police services in Canada between 2013 and 2023, according to Statistics Canada. There were 570 in 2023 alone. Ontario's rate of 2.1 incidents per 100,000 population puts it well above the national average of 1.4 per 100,000. Trafficking activity at hotels appeared to die down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when hotels had much stricter controls on how people came and went, Patel said. But now, he added, authorities tell him it's on the upswing again. "A lot of this happens or originates for some reason from the Montreal area coming down the 401, and then they make stops along the way," he said. "So they'll hit up different cities in smaller secondary markets as they make their way." Training staff isn't about putting them in dangerous situations, he said. It's simply about letting them know when to alert authorities about possible suspicious activity. But he said it's also about making hotel owners responsible and accountable for what they allow to happen on their properties. "If none of us rent to these people … then they don't have anywhere to go, right? And that obviously is going to help the cause," he said. "Then it's not happening here anymore, which is our ultimate goal." The executive director of Legal Assistance of Windsor said she's always happy when sectors like the hospitality industry realize they have a role in preventing human trafficking. And ongoing training is really important, Shelley Gilbert said. "The issue of trafficking really is evolving," she said. "So having ongoing conversations about what people are hearing ... so that they can be prepared is really important." Gilbert said it's critical to call police in emergency situations, but a range of strategies are needed to help victims. "We've seen other strategies where there's a particular sign up with … 'If you're in trouble, ask for Mary for instance,'" she said by way of example. But ultimately, she added, victims trying to flee traffickers need housing, income support, training, mental health and trauma support. "Most of the people that we've worked with, this is unfortunately not the first experience of violence and exploitation that they've experienced in their lives," Gilbert said.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Here's how Windsor hotels are training staff to recognize signs of human trafficking
Hotel and motel staff can play a vital role in recognizing the signs of human trafficking, the chair of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association says. Dharmesh Patel says he's particularly encouraging Windsor owners of independent hotels who don't have access to corporate training programs on the topic to take advantage of a free course for staff and managers called Not in Our Hotel. The course teaches students to spot the signs of possible human trafficking and to safely report them, said Patel, who is also the general manager of the Quality Inn Leamington. "So if someone's adamant about paying in cash or doesn't have a bank issued credit card," he said. "Then you're also looking for things like … if you see signs of fear on the people that are with them." Staff might also notice a person bringing in guests through a side door, he said. The biggest red flag But the biggest red flag is a lot of traffic to and from one room. Windsor's status as a border city and travel hub makes it a target for traffickers, Patel added. "This is being proactive and protecting vulnerable individuals. And then for us in hospitality, it's not just about the guest's comfort anymore. It's about guest safety and … community responsibility." Just over 4,500 incidents of human trafficking were reported by police services in Canada between 2013 and 2023, according to Statistics Canada. There were 570 in 2023 alone. Ontario's rate of 2.1 incidents per 100,000 population puts it well above the national average of 1.4 per 100,000. Trafficking activity at hotels appeared to die down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when hotels had much stricter controls on how people came and went, Patel said. But now, he added, authorities tell him it's on the upswing again. "A lot of this happens or originates for some reason from the Montreal area coming down the 401, and then they make stops along the way," he said. "So they'll hit up different cities in smaller secondary markets as they make their way." Training staff isn't about putting them in dangerous situations, he said. It's simply about letting them know when to alert authorities about possible suspicious activity. But he said it's also about making hotel owners responsible and accountable for what they allow to happen on their properties. "If none of us rent to these people … then they don't have anywhere to go, right? And that obviously is going to help the cause," he said. "Then it's not happening here anymore, which is our ultimate goal." The executive director of Legal Assistance of Windsor said she's always happy when sectors like the hospitality industry realize they have a role in preventing human trafficking. And ongoing training is really important, Shelley Gilbert said. "The issue of trafficking really is evolving," she said. "So having ongoing conversations about what people are hearing ... so that they can be prepared is really important." Gilbert said it's critical to call police in emergency situations, but a range of strategies are needed to help victims. "We've seen other strategies where there's a particular sign up with … 'If you're in trouble, ask for Mary for instance,'" she said by way of example. But ultimately, she added, victims trying to flee traffickers need housing, income support, training, mental health and trauma support. "Most of the people that we've worked with, this is unfortunately not the first experience of violence and exploitation that they've experienced in their lives," Gilbert said. "In order to help someone to really begin healing and changing some of those things, they need the resources and support."
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Windsor-Essex hotels help crackdown on ‘hub' for human trafficking
A hotel bed is seen in this undated file photo. (Pexels) A new initiative targets human trafficking at hotels in 'high-risk' corridors, like Windsor-Essex. Introduced by hotel representatives across Canada, 'Not in Our Hotel' is a series of free training programs intended to help employees identify and report human trafficking. Dharmesh Patel, the Windsor-Essex chair of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association, said it has been a challenge for operations in the region for years. 'So it isn't really just helpful, it's more like this program was necessary,' said Patel, who also serves as the general manager at the Quality Inn in Leamington. 'We're proud to stand up and say, 'Not in our hotel, not in our city.'' During COVID-19, Patel noted a decrease in activity, likely due to restrictions that required more registration and monitoring of who is in the hotel. 'So, it was hard to hide these victims, and now we're kind of like seeing things going back to normal,' Patel explained. Through the training, employees at all levels will receive a better understanding of what to look for and who to contact. About 75 per cent of human trafficking victims are 'funnelled' through hotels or motels at some point, according to Patel. In the coming weeks, hotels across Windsor-Essex will be briefed on the initiative and how to roll it out to staff. Large chain hotels typically have similar training, Patel noted, but they aren't always offered at smaller sites. 'So they usually look for these smaller places, and we're encouraging those smaller places to be on the lookout more, and install things like CCTV footage just to make it harder for these guys to access these places,' Patel explained. Data recorded in 2023 showed 570 human trafficking incidents were reported to police services across the nation, per Statistics Canada. The agency acknowledged the figure paints a 'partial picture' because the crime is often underreported. Taylor Vetero serves as the Anti-Human Trafficking Project coordinator under the Windsor-Essex Counter Exploitation Network (WECEN). Welcoming the initiative, Vetero noted it's 'crucial' for hotels to work alongside frontline agencies such as the WECEN to properly address the issue. 'I think when we have a population of people who have had choices removed from them, it's really important that we give them the choice when we're talking about different intervention strategies,' Vetero said. He added hotels can be a 'hotspot' for labour and sex trafficking. Because of Windsor's proximity to the 401, the region has been regarded as a busy corridor for human trafficking. The highway allows traffickers to 'get quite far with not a lot of involvement from or intervention from anyone,' Vetero added. 'Other factors that lead to Windsor, Essex County being a hub for human trafficking include the fact that Leamington has some of the most greenhouses in the smallest area in all of Canada,' he noted. An increased population of temporary foreign workers, who may not speak English, creates increased vulnerability. 'They might not understand the laws in our country, and they have a fear of the systems that are in place,' Vetero said. While Windsor Police Service is not involved in the Not in Our Hotel initiative, a spokesperson told CTV News they are 'committed to combating human trafficking in the community.' 'We continue to work closely with local and national partners to identify victims, investigate offences, and hold offenders accountable,' they said in a statement. 'Public education and strong community partnerships are essential in preventing exploitation, and we fully support all efforts that raise awareness and strengthen intervention.'
