The opening into a landmark human trafficking trial in Vancouver has heard that an accused pimp took extreme measures to lure young girls into a life of prostitution.
Reza Moazami is charged in connection with an underage prostitution ring that he's alleged to have run between 2009 and 2011 in Metro Vancouver.
The Crown’s opening statement in court Wednesday accused Moazami of forcing girls as young as 14 into prostitution, saying he got them using drugs and forced them to work seven days a week. It’s alleged he promised the girls a life of “glamour,” including parties, nice clothes and free drugs.
Lawyers claim the accused moved the teens around different high-end downtown Vancouver condo apartments that he rented. The girls were allegedly brought to the Calgary Stampede to work.
The Crown paints a frightening picture of a man who used threats of violence, even against animals, to get what he wanted from victims.
The court heard that the accused bought dogs for some of the girls, but threatened to break one of the animal’s neck if they didn’t work for him.
Women's groups are monitoring this landmark case closely, and hope the court will send a strong message about the treatment of women.
“It's unacceptable to sexually exploit young girls and women, in prostitution or in any other way,” Hilla Kerner of the Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter said.
Moazami has pleaded not guilty to all 36 counts.
He is the first person to have been charged with trafficking underage girls in B.C.
The trial is expected to last several months. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
With files from CTV British Columbia’s Mi-Jung Lee
