54 Facts About Natasha Falle

Natasha Falle was born on 1973 and is a Canadian professor at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who was forcibly prostituted from the ages of 15 to 27 and now opposes prostitution in Canada.

Falle grew up in a middle-class home and, when her parents divorced, her new single-parent home became unsafe, and Falle ran away from home.

Natasha Falle's pimp kept her falsely imprisoned and trafficked her across the country.

Natasha Falle married her and tortured her, breaking several of her bones and burning her body.

Natasha Falle grew up in a middle-class home in Nova Scotia, a suburb of Toronto, Ontario, and a suburb of Calgary, Alberta.

Natasha Falle's mother managed stores in the wedding industry and her father was a police officer with a vice squad, arresting drug dealers and pimps.

When she was a young teenager, Natasha Falle's parents divorced, and she subsequently lived in a single-parent home with her mother.

Natasha Falle's father did not pay her mother alimony and there was often no money for food, so Natasha Falle began stealing food to survive.

Natasha Falle began writing poetry about suicide and wearing black clothing.

Natasha Falle acted out by stealing cars and using drugs recreationally.

Natasha Falle started out with soft drugs and then moved on to using psychedelic mushrooms and LSD.

Natasha Falle's mother had a series of boyfriends who abused her and made the house unsafe, so Natasha Falle ran away from home.

Natasha Falle slept at friends' houses, on their couches and in tents in their backyards, concealing her presence from her friends' parents.

Natasha Falle found this man well-dressed and attractive and did not think that he fit the stereotypical image of a pimp.

Natasha Falle had nowhere to sleep that night and had no money for food, so she accepted his offer.

Natasha Falle convinced five of her friends who came from dysfunctional homes to join her in prostitution.

Natasha Falle said that she and the other girls she knew her age who had gone into prostitution had felt as though that was their only remaining option.

Natasha Falle said they all tried to stay free of pimps, organized crime, and drugs, but eventually succumbed.

Natasha Falle engaged in both indoor and outdoor prostitution, working as an escort, in strip clubs, and at massage parlours.

Natasha Falle's pimp kept her imprisoned for the years that he prostituted her, and trafficked her across Canada to Edmonton, Vancouver, and Kelowna.

Natasha Falle threatened her family, and conditioned her not to call the police.

At her peak, Natasha Falle owned a Ford Mustang, bought her pimp a Mercedes-Benz, and lived in a four-bedroom penthouse apartment, but she continued to experience violence.

Natasha Falle used her material possessions to elevate herself above the women around her who were dependent on cocaine; she dismissed them as "crackheads" and "crackhoes".

Natasha Falle was brainwashed to believe that her only worth lay in prostitution, which she later said was why it took her so long to exit prostitution.

Natasha Falle had to resort to pulling a knife on people at times when she was threatened with violence.

Natasha Falle's pimp broke several of her bones and burned her body.

One night, Natasha Falle was hiding alone in a hotel room when she found a Bible placed there by Gideons International.

Natasha Falle told her mother about being dependent on cocaine, entering prostitution, and marrying her pimp.

Natasha Falle participated in a diversion program that allowed her to return to school.

Natasha Falle said that she required a lot of support in order to fully exit prostitution, and found that support in her mother, her school, and Streetlight Support Services.

Natasha Falle underwent a month of drug rehabilitation, which convinced her to become a counsellor.

Natasha Falle then spent 90 days at the Toronto West Detention Centre and took seven months to finish high school.

Natasha Falle went on to graduate from a college and a university.

Natasha Falle received a diploma in Wife Assault and Child Advocacy from George Brown College and graduated with honours.

Natasha Falle uses the term "sex trade survivor" to describe herself.

In 2012, Natasha Falle sought to bring a lawsuit against her former pimp to demonstrate to other women who are or have been forcibly prostituted that it is possible to oppose one's pimp.

In 2001, Natasha Falle began counselling women in prostitution at Streetlight Support Services.

Natasha Falle believed these statistics to be representative of women in prostitution in Canada because the women she counselled did not come to her by choice; they were required to undergo the counselling by court order.

Natasha Falle said that women in prostitution tend to be moved around a lot because they tend to fetch higher prices when they are new to a region.

Natasha Falle said that rural communities are common places for women and children to be groomed into prostitution.

In May 2012, Natasha Falle spoke about human trafficking at high schools in Vancouver primarily because of the influence of a parent concerned about human trafficking in the area and its dangers to children.

Natasha Falle is a professor at Humber College in Toronto, where she teaches in the police foundations program, educating on the subject of social justice.

Later that year, Natasha Falle said that the best way to fight human trafficking is to influence public opinion.

Later in 2010 in Winnipeg, Natasha Falle received an award at the first annual Honouring Heroes ceremony, which was organized by Joy Smith, who is an anti-human-trafficking activist.

When Natasha Falle first heard about this decision, she cried, and expressed surprise and disappointment.

At the debate, which was hosted by the Queen's Law and Public Policy Club at Queen's University, Natasha Falle said that, whatever the outcome of the appeal, she was glad that the case was removing the taboos surrounding talking about prostitution.

Natasha Falle responded that most prostitution has already moved indoors, as the internet has made most street solicitation unnecessary, and argues that the move indoors has not made the women safer.

Natasha Falle said that when she was in prostitution, she was even a little safer outdoors because of the added visibility to the public.

In October 2010, Natasha Falle picketed a courthouse in downtown Toronto in recognition of International Day of No Prostitution.

In January 2011, Natasha Falle appeared at the Party for Freedom at York University in Toronto, which launched the Alliance Against Modern Slavery, a nonprofit organization seeking to combat human trafficking through partnerships, education, and research.

Natasha Falle was joined by Glendene Grant, human trafficking victim Jessie Foster's mother; Kevin Bales, co-founder and president of Free the Slaves; Kate Todd, a singer-songwriter and actor; Janelle Belgrave of Samba Elegua Drummers and Peace Concept; Roger Cram of Hiram College; and Jeff Gunn, a guitarist.

At this event aimed at raising awareness about human trafficking nationally and internationally, Natasha Falle was joined by other abolitionists including Tara Teng, who was Miss Canada at the time; Trisha Baptie, co-founder of EVE; Shae Invidiata, founder of Free-Them; Timea Nagy; Constable Lepa Jankovic; MP Joy Smith; MP Olivia Chow; and MP Terence Young.

In October 2012, Natasha Falle was the keynote speaker at a symposium on street prostitution and human trafficking, which took place at Croatian Hall in Greater Sudbury and was attended by approximately 100 people.

Natasha Falle argued in support of modelling prostitution law in Canada after Sweden's laws because she believes that prostitution cannot be regulated.