Hotels to help prevent child sexual exploitation

It's a crime that seems to be happening behind closed doors, often going unreported.

The province is joining forces with hotels across the province to combat sexual exploitation of children.

"We've been focusing a lot on exploitation on the streets, and on the internet but we have to look in those dark places of society," said Family Services minister Gord Mackintosh.

A campaign will be launched next month aimed to train hotel staff to spot when children are being sexually exploited.

A kit and educational video will be distributed to 250 hotels.

"You certainly don't want a housekeeper accusing somebody of something, but they need an avenue where we say maybe we can look into this further," said Jim Baker, executive director of the Manitoba Hotel Association.

Hotel Manger Marie Luschinski says her staff has reported unusual behaviour involving customers and young girls in the past.

"There's incidents where older guys will have two young girls in the same room, and we notice it right away," said Luschinski.

The announcement was made during a conference in Winnipeg on child sexual exploitation.

Relatives of Claudette Osborne, a former sex trade worker who's been missing for more than a year, say the campaign could make a difference.

"My sister was last seen at the Lincoln Motor Hotel, and they never made the call to say she was last seen there," said Bernadette Smith, who was a key speaker at the forum.

"If this had been implemented early on, maybe my sister would be with us today," said Smith.