Invisible Chains

Invisible Chains:
Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking
AuthorBenjamin Perrin
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHuman trafficking in Canada
Published2010
Publication placeCanada
Media typePrint
ISBN0143178970

Invisible Chains: Canada's Underground World of Human Trafficking is a 2010 book about human trafficking by Benjamin Perrin. Perrin wrote the book after researching human trafficking for ten years.[1] In Invisible Chains, Perrin recounts a variety of stories of human trafficking in Canada, including that of the prostitution of a child in Ontario whose sexual services were advertised in the adult services section of Craigslist.[2] The book was timed to be published within three weeks of the release of Joy Smith's proposal for the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.[3] Perrin advocated adopting Smith's proposal, saying that Invisible Chains "shows that while traffickers have a plan, Canada doesn't," and that the victims are the ones who suffer from the lack of a national action plan.[4] Perrin promoted the book in Winnipeg, Manitoba in October 2010.[5] Mark Milke of the Calgary Herald said that Perrin's book is "not an enjoyable read. It's depressing... but it's a necessary read," going on to say that Invisible Chains "will do much good."[6] University of Manitoba professor Joan Durrant praised Invisible Chains, calling it a powerful book.[7] Chester Brown condemned Invisible Chains, saying that it purports "that johns are evil monsters." In response, Brown wrote Paying for It, a graphic novel written "from the john's point of view, since of course, I don’t think of myself as an evil monster."[8] Perrin's book was nominated for a George Ryga Award for Social Awareness in Literature,[9] but lost to One Story, One Song, an essay collection by Richard Wagamese.[10]

References

  1. ^ Barbara Kay (October 5, 2010). "Don't regulate prostitutes. Rescue them". National Post. Archived from the original on November 19, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  2. ^ Julian Sher (October 15, 2010). "Sex trafficking: a national disgrace". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  3. ^ Brenlee Carrington (October 9, 2010). "B.C. prof shines light on modern-day slavery". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  4. ^ "National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking Required". The Filipino Journal. Vol. 7, no. 9. September 2013. Archived from the original on November 25, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  5. ^ Carol Sanders (October 14, 2010). "Ban sex-trade ads, author tells province: Wants Manitoba to follow Ontario's lead". Brandon Sun. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  6. ^ Mark Milke (November 14, 2010). "The slave trade makes a comeback in Canada". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  7. ^ "On The Night Table: Joan Durrant". Winnipeg Free Press. May 21, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  8. ^ Nicholas Köhler (May 2, 2011). "Chester Brown on prostitution, romantic love, and being a john: In conversation with Nick Kohler". Maclean's. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  9. ^ "Local authors up for Ryga award". Kamloops This Week. August 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  10. ^ John Arendt (September 28, 2011). "Essay collection wins Ryga Award". Summerland Review. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2013.