 | |
| Author | Benjamin Perrin |
|---|---|
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Human trafficking in Canada |
| Published | 2010 |
| Media type | |
| ISBN | 0143178970 |
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]