The Grey Bruce Community Safety and Well-Being Planning (CSWBP) group is providing tips on how to spot human traffickers making use of local Short-Term Rentals (STR).
The CSWBP Crime Prevention Action Table, in partnership with the Joy Smith Foundation and Violence Prevention Grey Bruce is raising awareness about the dangers of human trafficking, which Grey County says is a serious crime that often goes unnoticed.
“Short-term rentals owners and operators can play a crucial role in preventing human trafficking by recognizing signs, implementing preventative measures, and reporting suspicious activity. There is a growing trend of traffickers using STR’s due to the greater possibility of anonymity,” says Grey County in a release.
The CSWBP says some key warning signs of human trafficking for STR operators to consider are:
-Frequent use of short-term rentals.
-Last minute bookings and multiple bookings that are in the same area.
-People arriving and departing from you property with minimal luggage not appropriate for the length of stay.
-Individuals that appear to be under the control of another person.
Some methods the CSWBP suggest to deter human traffickers from using your rental property include:
-Screen bookings carefully including guest reviews from other STR’s.
-Don’t accept last-minute bookings.
-Install cameras on the outside of your property to record those coming and going.
-Do not allow guests to have unregistered guests on your property.
-State clearly in your listing you are committed to preventing human trafficking and other illegal activities.
“Human trafficking affects communities across Canada, and awareness is the first step in preventing it. By educating STR owners/operators and the public, Grey and Bruce Counties are working together to create a safer and more informed community,” says Grey County in a release.
More details STR anti-human trafficking can be found on the CSWBP website here.