The Vatican asks nations to help fight human trafficking
At a United Nations gathering in New York City, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's Secretary for Relations with States, stressed the need for a multi-pronged approach in the fight against human trafficking. "The issue of trafficking in persons can only be fully addressed by promoting effective juridical instruments and concrete collaboration at multiple levels by all stakeholders."
Archbishop Gallagher spoke at a High Level Leaders Event hosted by U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May in late September, entitled, "A Call to Action to End Forced Labor, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking." He emphasized the importance of "multi-pronged strategies" to prevent more of these crimes and provide aid to the affected victims. He also noted the special role of women and religious personnel in offering an avenue of trust.
Ending this "modern slavery" has been a major priority for Pope Francis, said Archbishop Gallagher, and the Catholic Church is collaborating "with both the public and private sectors, including with government authorities."
In his address, Archbishop Gallagher said that the Church has played a major role in helping victims heal, but stressed that collaboration is needed on all fronts to "halt these heinous crimes."
Here are some ways YOU can fight the evil of human trafficking
In addition to prayers, there are actions people can take to reduce the impact of human trafficking:
The first is to avoid making use of persons who are being exploited. Cheap, undocumented labor is a common form of exploitation.
Next, report suspected cases of human trafficking to authorities.
Human Trafficking Hotline - 1-888-3737-888 - PolarisProject.org Human trafficking thrives on silence, so even just making a report is helpful.
Get involved in local organizations in your area such as CNEHT, South Bay Coalition, No Traffic Ahead, and BAATC.