The Religious Commitment to Eradicate Human Slavery
Posted On January 14, 2015
On January 11 National Awareness Day for Human Slavery and Trafficking was held with activities
throughout the country to spotlight this insistent, relentless injustice that harms mostly women and children. Religious leaders from around the world gathered at the Vatican with Pope Francis in order to declare together that religions of the world must help eradicate human slavery. Human trafficking is a horrific crime against the fundamental rights and dignity of the human person. The United Nations Protocol on Human Trafficking defines it as “the “recruitment, transportation, harboring or receipt of persons by means of force, fraud or coercion.”
What is Human Slavery?
According to the U.S. State Department, every country in the world is affected by trafficking. The United States is no exception, serving as a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children – both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals. According to the State Department’s 2012 annual Trafficking in Persons Report. . . , federal and state human trafficking data indicate more investigations and prosecutions have taken place for sex trafficking than labor trafficking in the U.S.; however, victim service providers reported assisting significantly higher numbers of foreign national victims in cases of labor trafficking than in cases of sex trafficking. Non-governmental and religious organizations, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have noted increasing reports of children recruited into criminal activity, particularly at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as traveling sales crews and peddling rings utilizing the forced labor of children and adults.
Why is Human Trafficking So Prevalent?
Owing to the lack of anti-human trafficking laws, enforcement of such laws where they exist, along with the ease and ability to re-exploit individuals, human trafficking has become one of the fastest growing sources of profits for criminal enterprises worldwide. Though efforts to combat it have been increasing, human trafficking has been experiencing a dramatic resurgence in recent years according to the ILO.
Traffickers lure vulnerable men, women and children with false promises of good jobs, an education, economic security and even love. Once lured, the traffickers are able to keep their victims from seeking help by confiscating identification documents, using threats of violence against the victim or their family, as well as subjecting the victim to physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse.
No sector or industry is immune from human trafficking. Victims have been identified in factories, restaurants, construction work, agricultural fields, hotels, spas, nail salons, and even private residences.
Catholic Social Teaching and Human Slavery
The Catholic Church’s vehement opposition to human trafficking is rooted in principles of Catholic social teaching, central to which is the sacredness and dignity of human life, and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church which “forbids acts or enterprises that, for any reason, lead to the enslavement of human beings – to their being bought, sold, and exchanged like merchandise, in disregard for their personal dignity.” The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration’s Statement On Human Trafficking clearly outlines the Church’s teaching on human trafficking, noting “Human trafficking is a horrific crime against the basic dignity and rights of the human person. All efforts must be expended to end it.”
For over a decade the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been a leader in the U.S. and global response to human trafficking, and has even established an Anti-Trafficking Program within the Migration and Refugee Services Department to coordinate the response of the U.S. Church. Explore the links below to learn more about the Church’s effort and to find out how you can help.
Resources to Learn More and Act
God of freedom and love, we are saddened to know
that more than one million people are trafficked into
slavery each year.
The effects of contemporary slavery are felt in every
country around our world.
As sisters and brothers, we are tormented by this
reality that will leave devastating repercussions for
generations to come.
Our hearts grieve for what our minds can barely
comprehend, particularly when we hear of women,
men, and children who are deceived and transported
to unknown places.
We recognize this sexual and economic exploitation
occurs because of human greed and profit.
We are sorrowful and our spirits angry that human
dignity is being degraded through deception and
threats of force.
Help the violators to be transformed and enlightened
to realize the scope of their unjust actions.
Allow them to see the value and the dignity of every
human person.
Lord of Life, strengthen all those whose hearts have
been broken and whose lives have been uprooted.
As a people in solidarity with Your suffering children,
grace us with strength and courage to denounce this
crime against humanity and to work against the
demeaning practice of human trafficking.
Amen.
~ Adapted from a prayer by Sr. Genevieve Cassani, Franciscans International
