human trafficking
I urgently appeal to all men and women of good will, and all those near or far, including the highest levels of civil institutions, who witness the scourge of contemporary slavery, not to become accomplices to this evil, not to turn away from the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, our fellow human beings, who are deprived of their freedom and dignity. Instead, may we have the courage to touch the suffering flesh of Christ, revealed in the faces of those countless persons whom he calls “the least of these my brethren.” (Mt 25:40, 45).
Pope Francis, World Day of Peace Message, 2015 |
What is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of forced labor, sexual exploitation and even the sale of organs. And it’s lucrative, annually generating $32 billion a year worldwide.
That’s why it’s one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the world, exceeded only by the illegal arms industry and second only to the drug trade. Viewed through the lens of Catholic social teaching, human trafficking is a crime against the most basic aspects of human dignity and human rights. It preys on the poor and vulnerable and exploits their labor. Under threat and often in isolated conditions, trafficked people have no community support, no recourse, no voice.
Largely hidden from view, the scope of human trafficking has long gone unnoticed by the developed world, which often benefits from the cheap labor and economic, though illicit, gain. But that is changing. For further information check out these recommended books and videos. To learn more about how your parish can get involved, please contact Lynn Campbell |
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"Stolen Lives: A Gospel Response to Human Trafficking"
Click on the link below to view the presentation offered by Alicia Kinsman, International Institute of CT, and William Rivera, Department of Children and Families at the March 7, 2015 Connecticut faith-Based initiative
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Yvette Young, LPC; The Village for Families and Children, Associate Vice-President for Programs and Advocacy
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Check out these other groups focused on ending human trafficking:
U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking Polaris The Underground ECPAT USA Love 146 USCCB 
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usccb on human traffickingPrayer ResourcesNational Human Trafficking Resources |