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Brenda Lochhead isn’t interested in the spotlight. But after more than three decades in anti-violence work, her impact speaks for itself, and it’s changing how Canada supports youth who have experienced human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
At Family Services of Greater Vancouver, or FSGV, where Lochhead now focuses full time on advocacy, education and consulting, her approach has become a model for trauma-informed, survivor-centred support. What sets her apart? A fierce commitment to giving power back to the young people she works with.
Lochhead’s philosophy, though simple, is radical: “Identify, don’t define.” That means trusting youth to name their own needs, make their own choices and take their own steps forward without judgment or pressure. It’s an approach that builds trust, honours autonomy and offers the safety that exploited youth rarely get to experience.
“You can’t claim to work in a trauma-informed way and then take away a young person’s right to make decisions,” Lochhead explains. “That’s the very thing they’ve already had taken from them.”
Over the years, Lochhead has shared this wisdom with social workers, educators, police, journalists, legal professionals and anyone else who may come into contact with vulnerable youth. She’s consulted on cases across Canada, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, and has worked internationally as a consultant on high-profile cases.
Her expertise is widely recognized. In 2018, she received the Services to Victims Community Safety and Crime Prevention Award from the B.C. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. She’s trained police in Germany, created educational resources for Panamanian prosecutors and helped build British Columbia’s collaborative framework for supporting victims of human trafficking.
Yet for Lochhead, it always comes back to the youth.
The workshops and trainings she leads to teach professionals about her collaborative, youth-centred, trauma-informed approach to support are interactive, grounded in real-life scenarios and honest about the challenges. Lochhead demonstrates a respect for her audience that mirrors her strategy with youth — she listens, learns and pushes others to do the same. She doesn’t shy away from the hard truth that survivors too often fall through the cracks in systems, and is relentless in offering practical solutions to change this and do better by survivors.
This approach works. Not only does it help survivors feel safe enough to engage in the process and rebuild their lives, but it also leads to stronger outcomes in the justice system — with more charges laid, more convictions and less re-traumatization during the legal process.
Lochhead is redefining what meaningful support looks like and creating a ripple effect that’s changing systems across the country. Her work is essential, and it needs your support.
To learn more, book a workshop or training session, or consult with Lochhead, visit Family Services of Greater Vancouver’s website. ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
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