Privacy policy
The Global Institute for Human Trafficking Education (GIHTE)
Effective Date: October 26, 2026
Last Updated: October 26, 2026
1. Introduction
Recipients may unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe link included in applicable messages or by contacting GIHTE directly. Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not necessarily prevent the delivery of essential administrative or transactional messages related to registered services.
The Global Institute for Human Trafficking Education ("GIHTE," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and personal information of individuals who visit our website, participate in our educational programs, or engage with our services.
Practical. Evidence-informed. Survivor-informed. Built for real-world impact.
GIHTE brings together survivor leaders, frontline professionals, healthcare providers, Indigenous knowledge keepers, law enforcement, educators, clinicians, and subject-matter experts to deliver specialized human trafficking education grounded in lived, professional, cultural, and systems-level knowledge.
We recognize that privacy, dignity, informed consent, and confidentiality are particularly important within human trafficking education and survivor-informed learning environments.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information when individuals access our website, register for educational programs, participate in training, or otherwise interact with GIHTE.
We are committed to handling personal information responsibly and in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), where applicable, and relevant provincial privacy laws.
2. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with GIHTE, we may collect the following categories of personal information.
Personal and Contact Information
When you contact us, create an account, register for a course, or subscribe to communications, we may collect:
Full name
Email address
Telephone number
Mailing or billing address
Organization or employer
Professional title or role
Information voluntarily submitted through contact forms
Course Registration and Learning Information
When you participate in GIHTE educational programs, we may collect:
Course registrations and enrolment details
Learning account information
Course progress and completion records
Assessment results, where applicable
Certificates of completion
Attendance and participation information
Feedback, surveys, and evaluations
Communications relating to educational services
This information helps us deliver training, maintain learning records, provide certificates, and improve our educational offerings.
Payment and Transaction Information
When you purchase a course, register for an event, or pay for educational services, we may collect transaction-related information, including:
Billing name and contact details
Payment amount and transaction date
Purchased courses or services
Payment confirmation and transaction identifiers
Payments may be processed through secure third-party payment providers.
Where payments are handled by external processors, payment card information is processed according to the provider's security and privacy practices. GIHTE's access to payment information depends on the payment system used.
Website and Technical Information
When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:
Internet Protocol (IP) address
Browser type and device information
Operating system
Pages visited and time spent on the website
Referring websites
Website navigation and interaction data
Cookies and similar technologies
This information may be used to maintain website security, improve functionality, understand visitor engagement, and enhance the user experience.
3. Sensitive Personal Information and Survivor Privacy
GIHTE recognizes that some individuals engaging with our educational programs may have lived experience of human trafficking, exploitation, violence, trauma, or other sensitive circumstances. We are committed to respecting the dignity, autonomy, privacy, and confidentiality of survivor leaders, educators, participants, and individuals whose experiences inform our educational content. We do not require individuals to disclose personal experiences of trafficking, exploitation, or trauma as a general condition of accessing our website or participating in educational programs.
Where sensitive personal information is collected, GIHTE will:
Clearly explain why the information is requested.
Seek meaningful consent appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
Limit collection to information reasonably necessary for the identified purpose.
Restrict access to authorized individuals with a legitimate need to know.
Apply safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
Avoid unnecessary disclosure or publication of personal experiences.
Respect applicable rights to withdraw consent.
Personal narratives, lived-experience accounts, images, recordings, and identifying information will not be publicly shared without appropriate authorization or another lawful basis. Participation in GIHTE educational programming does not automatically constitute consent to disclose personal experiences or identifying information.
4. How We Use Personal Information
GIHTE may use personal information for the following purposes:
Providing access to our website and educational platforms
Registering participants for courses, workshops, and training
Processing payments and maintaining transaction records
Managing learning accounts and course progress
Issuing certificates of participation or completion
Communicating important information about registered programs
Responding to questions, inquiries, and support requests
Providing requested educational resources
Improving course content and participant experiences
Conducting surveys and evaluating educational effectiveness
Maintaining the security and integrity of our website
Meeting legal, regulatory, accounting, and contractual obligations
Sending marketing or promotional communications where permitted by law
We will not use personal information for materially different purposes without obtaining additional consent where required by applicable law.
5. Consent
GIHTE seeks meaningful consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information, except where otherwise permitted or required by law.
Consent may be obtained electronically, in writing, or through other legally appropriate methods, depending on the nature and sensitivity of the information involved. Where sensitive personal information is collected, we will seek express consent where appropriate or legally required.
Individuals may withdraw consent for certain uses or disclosures of personal information by contacting GIHTE, subject to legal, contractual, and operational restrictions. Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to provide some services, such as maintaining an active learning account or issuing course completion records. We will explain any relevant consequences when a withdrawal request is made.
6. Sharing and Disclosure of Personal Information
GIHTE does not sell personal information to third parties. We may share personal information with trusted service providers when reasonably necessary to operate our website and deliver educational services.
These providers may include:
Website hosting and maintenance providers
Learning management system providers
Secure payment processors
Email and communication platforms
Webinar and video conferencing providers
Course administration and certification platforms
Technology support and security providers
Analytics services
We do not disclose participant information to employers, institutions, or sponsoring organizations except as described at registration, authorized by the participant, required by an applicable agreement and law, or otherwise legally permitted.
7. Organizational and Institutional Training
GIHTE may provide educational programs to organizations, institutions, agencies, and professional groups.
Where an organization registers participants for training, certain information may be shared with the sponsoring organization, such as:
Registration confirmation
Attendance information
Course completion status
Certificate eligibility
Other information specifically identified in the training agreement or registration process We will take reasonable steps to communicate relevant information-sharing practices to participants. Sensitive personal disclosures, private learning discussions, and personal experiences will not be routinely shared with sponsoring organizations. Any additional disclosure will be subject to applicable privacy requirements and appropriate authorization.
8. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, support user sessions, understand website traffic, and enhance the visitor experience. Cookies are small data files stored on a user's device.
Depending on the technologies used, cookies may support:
Website functionality and security
User authentication
Course account access
Visitor preferences
Website performance analysis
Analytics and measurement
Where required by applicable law, we will obtain consent before using non-essential cookies or similar tracking technologies. Users may manage or disable certain cookies through their browser settings or available website privacy controls. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain website features.
9. Email Communications and Marketing
GIHTE may send communications relating to course registrations, account activity, educational updates, and other requested services.
We may also send newsletters, announcements, promotional offers, or information about upcoming educational opportunities where permitted by applicable law. Commercial electronic messages will be managed in accordance with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), where applicable.
Where consent is required, individuals will be given an opportunity to provide it.
Recipients may unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe link included in applicable messages or by contacting GIHTE directly. Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not necessarily prevent the delivery of essential administrative or transactional messages related to registered services.
10. Educational Recordings and Participant Confidentiality
Some GIHTE courses, webinars, workshops, or educational events may be recorded for educational, administrative, or accessibility purposes.
Where recording occurs, GIHTE will provide appropriate notice and obtain consent where required. We recognize that educational discussions may involve sensitive subjects, personal experiences, or professional case examples. GIHTE will take reasonable steps to protect participant confidentiality and avoid unnecessary disclosure of sensitive information. Participants are encouraged not to share identifying information about clients, patients, survivors, or other individuals during educational discussions unless they are legally authorized to do so. Recording, distributing, or publicly sharing educational sessions by participants without authorization may violate GIHTE's Terms and Conditions and applicable law.
11. Protection of Personal Information
GIHTE uses administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information under our control.
Depending on the systems and services used, these safeguards may include:
Restricted access to personal information
Password-protected accounts
Secure website connections
Access controls for educational platforms
Confidentiality requirements for authorized personnel
Secure third-party payment processing
Procedures for responding to privacy and security incidents
Appropriate retention and disposal practices
While we take reasonable measures to protect personal information, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
In the event of a privacy or security breach, GIHTE will assess the incident and take appropriate action, including notifications to affected individuals and regulators where required by law.
12. Retention of Personal Information
GIHTE retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to meet applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, or contractual requirements. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information.
For example:
Account information may be retained while an account remains active.
Course completion records may be retained to support certificate verification.
Financial transaction records may be retained to meet accounting and tax requirements.
Communications may be retained as reasonably necessary for administrative purposes.
Marketing information may be retained until consent is withdrawn or the information is no longer needed, subject to applicable law.
When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed, or anonymized, as appropriate.
13. International Data Processing
GIHTE is a Canadian educational organization; however, certain service providers or technology platforms may store or process personal information outside Canada. Where personal information is transferred or processed internationally, it may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is stored or processed, including lawful access requests by public authorities. GIHTE will take reasonable steps to ensure that third-party service providers apply appropriate privacy and security safeguards. Additional notice or consent will be provided where required by applicable law.
14. Accessing, Correcting, or Deleting Personal Information
Subject to applicable law, individuals may request access to personal information held by GIHTE and ask for corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information. Individuals may also request deletion of personal information or withdrawal of consent, where applicable.
To submit a privacy request, please contact:
Email: [Insert Privacy Contact Email]
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
Requests will be addressed within applicable legal timeframes, subject to any permitted extensions or exceptions.
Certain information may need to be retained to comply with legal obligations or maintain necessary business records.
15. Children's Privacy
GIHTE's website and general professional educational programs are primarily intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children for general educational services without appropriate authorization. Where GIHTE offers programs intended for minors, we will implement consent and privacy practices appropriate to their age, circumstances, and applicable law. If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child inappropriately, we will take reasonable steps to address the situation.
16. Third-Party Websites and External Resources
Our website may contain links to external websites, research publications, educational resources, and third-party services. These websites may have their own privacy policies and information-handling practices. GIHTE is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites that we do not control. We encourage users to review the privacy policies of third-party websites before submitting personal information.
17. Social Media and Public Communications
GIHTE may maintain accounts on social media platforms to share educational information, organizational updates, and professional resources.
Interactions with these platforms are subject to the privacy policies and terms of the respective providers.
Information shared publicly through social media comments, posts, or other public interactions may be visible to others.
We encourage individuals to avoid disclosing sensitive personal information or identifying details about survivors, clients, patients, or other individuals in public online spaces.
18. Privacy Rights and Complaints
GIHTE is committed to addressing privacy questions and concerns respectfully, promptly, and transparently. Individuals who believe their personal information has been handled inappropriately may contact GIHTE to request clarification or submit a complaint. We will review privacy concerns and take appropriate corrective action where necessary.
Individuals may also have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or an applicable provincial privacy regulator.
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Website: https://www.priv.gc.ca
19. Changes to This Privacy Policy
GIHTE may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our educational services, website technologies, information-handling practices, or applicable legal requirements.
Updates will be posted on our website with a revised effective date.
Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before implementing material changes to how personal information is collected, used, or disclosed.
We encourage users to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
20. Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information, please contact us directly.
The Global Institute for Human Trafficking Education (GIHTE)
We are committed to protecting personal information and supporting educational environments grounded in dignity, respect, and informed consent.
The Global Institute for Human Trafficking Education
Practical. Evidence-informed. Survivor-informed. Built for real-world impact.
© 2026-27 The Global Institute for Human Trafficking Education. All rights reserved.
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