Sudbury sex workers say they're not being coerced, police report

Sudbury police say a survey of sex trade workers in the city found thatthey all report working of their own free will.

Insp.Dan Despatie saidit was part of a North American initiative to meet with suspected sex trade workers and offer support.

• Prostitution should be regulated, run like business, group says
• Kathleen Wynne says Ontario will uphold new prostitution law

Officers met with seven workers over three days and no onecomplained of being a victim or being controlled, he said.

Despatie saidhe hopes that any sex trade worker who is being victimized would ask for help.

"Earning someone's trust and really ensuring that someone believes we are here to help is a work in progress, and we're not going to stop working hard to do that," he said.

The police were attemptingto identify victims of human trafficking and to arrest the people controlling the sex-trade workers.

Elsewhere in Canada and the U.S,. police charged 47 people with human trafficking and helped free 20minors working in the industry against their will.