In partnership with the Province of Manitoba’s StreetReach Program, Klinic Community Health, Manitoba RCMP, Winnipeg Police Service, and lived-experience speakers, our Community Training sessions teach frontline workers and those working in other sectors that may be affected, to recognize, engage, and safely support victims of trafficking and exploitation. The sessions provide practical scenarios, intervention strategies, and resources grounded in a trauma-informed and victim-centered approach.

Please note that this will be a full-day training covering sensitive topics. A wellness and quiet room will be available should you need to step out and take a moment at any time during the training. EmpowerMen believes that in-person training provides richer opportunities to learn, connect, and engage with the material and network. No online option is available.

✓ Frontline and community organization workers

✓ Educators, school staff, and youth-serving agencies

✓ Law enforcement and justice partners

✓ Healthcare and social service providers

✓ Workplace leaders and industry representatives

✓ Anyone interested in building a safer community

Want to inquire about attending a session or setting up a training opportunity for your workplace? Email EMOutreach@mamawi.com for more information.

• Recognizing the Problem – Learn the definition of sexual exploitation and human trafficking, and distinguish between true consent and coercion, manipulation, and control. Understand the local context and realities that exist in Winnipeg and broader trends across Manitoba.
• Knowing the Signs – Learn early and advanced indicators of exploitation. Get to know some of the less obvious signs (behavioral, relational, and environmental — not just physical) and how to recognize trauma responses that can often be misinterpreted as “non-compliance.”
• Bias Disruption & Critical Thinking – How to challenge personal and systemic assumptions about who is “at risk” and who is “responsible.” Identify how bias can impact decision-making, reporting, and service delivery.
• Perpetration & Demand – How to recognize grooming and control tactics used by traffickers. Learn about the patterns and behaviors of sex buyers, their role in sustaining exploitation, and how demand directly influences trafficking dynamics.
• Practical Response & Intervention – How to apply safe, trauma-informed approaches when engaging with individuals at risk, respond to disclosures in a way that prioritizes safety over urgency, and make decisions about when and how to intervene.
• Systems Navigation & Collaboration – Understand how to engage with local resources, identify gaps in the system, and adjust responses accordingly. How to strengthen coordination with law enforcement, health, and community partners.
• Applied Decision-Making – Analyze complex case scenarios and determine appropriate responses. Justify decisions based on risk, safety, and context — not assumptions.

Community Training attendees will leave their session better able to identify exploitation, more confident about applying appropriate interventions, and less likely to do unintentional harm through bias, mixed signals, and unsafe responses.