Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons

{{Short description|Canadian government agency}}

{{distinguish|Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons}}

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|agency_name = Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons

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|formed = 2007

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|jurisdiction = British Columbia, Canada

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The Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP) is a government agency responsible for coordinating efforts to address human trafficking in British Columbia, Canada.{{cite web|title=Human Trafficking in B.C.|publisher=British Columbia Ministry of Justice|url=http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/octip/|access-date=September 16, 2012|archive-date=September 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905190141/http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/octip/|url-status=dead}} The focus of OCTIP's mandate is human rights, specifically those of the victims of human trafficking.{{cite web|title=The Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP) |publisher=Survivors Connect |date=May 26, 2012 |url=http://www.survivorsconnect.org/freedom-datamap/reports/view/2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416041722/http://www.survivorsconnect.org/freedom-datamap/reports/view/2015 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 16, 2013 }} OCTIP formed in 2007, making British Columbia the first province of Canada to address human trafficking in a formal manner.{{Cite book|title=Invisible Chains|author=Benjamin Perrin|author-link=Benjamin Perrin|publisher=Penguin Books|date=2010|isbn=978-0143178972}} In 2008, the United States Department of State released a report on human trafficking in Canada that was generally critical of the Government of Canada for failing to address the issue, but the report praised the efforts of the Executive Council of British Columbia, specifically citing their creation of OCTIP.{{cite web|title=U.S. Report Critical of Canada's Human Trafficking Record |date=June 4, 2008 |publisher=University of British Columbia |url=http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2008/mr-08-076.html |access-date=September 16, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223061233/http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2008/mr-08-076.html |archive-date=December 23, 2008 }} In June 2011, OCTIP launched a training program to certify first responders to identify, protect, and assist victims of human trafficking in the province.{{Cite journal|journal=Sys-Con Media|title=Launch of First Anti-Human Trafficking On-line Training Program for Service Providers in British Columbia|date=June 22, 2011|url=http://www.sys-con.com/node/1884083|access-date=September 16, 2012}} The program cost $106,000; half of the funding came from OCTIP while the rest was covered by Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice.{{Cite journal|journal=Nelson Daily News|title=Launch of first anti-human trafficking online training for service providers in BC|date=June 26, 2011|url=http://thenelsondaily.com/news-brief/launch-first-anti-human-trafficking-online-training-service-providers-bc-12284|access-date=September 16, 2012|archive-date=September 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921005313/http://thenelsondaily.com/news-brief/launch-first-anti-human-trafficking-online-training-service-providers-bc-12284|url-status=dead}} The following month, the Executive Council of British Columbia cut the annual budget for OCTIP from $500000 down to $300000, got rid of the executive director position, and reduced the number of full-time staff to two.{{Cite journal|journal=National Post|title=Budget slashed for B.C. human trafficking office|date=August 2, 2011|author=Katie De Rosa|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/08/02/budget-slashed-for-b-c-human-trafficking-office/|access-date=September 16, 2012}} Robin Pike was the executive director before her position was eliminated.{{Cite journal|journal=CBC News|title=B.C. human trafficking office funding slashed|date=August 4, 2011|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-human-trafficking-office-funding-slashed-1.977306|access-date=September 16, 2012}} Her last day of work was July 29.{{cite web|title=Disappointing News From the West: BC Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons Slashed|date=August 3, 2011|author=Michelle Brock|url=http://hopeforthesold.com/disappointing-news-from-the-west-bc-office-to-combat-trafficking-in-persons-slashed/|access-date=September 16, 2012}} Between 2007 and 2011, OCTIP serviced more than 100 human trafficking victims in British Columbia.{{Cite journal|journal=CTV News|author=Andrew Weichel|title=B.C.'s anti-human trafficking office gutted: collaborator|date=August 3, 2011|url=http://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-s-anti-human-trafficking-office-gutted-collaborator-1.679066|access-date=September 16, 2012}}