Facts about Human Trafficking: There are an estimated 21 million victims of human trafficking worldwide, with the majority trapped in situations of labor trafficking. Each year, an estimated 17,500 men, women, and children are trafficked across U.S. borders and forced into slavery. Unfortunately, stakeholders have increasingly found that individuals in situations of forced migration, such as refugees and unaccompanied children, are particularly vulnerable to labor and sex traffickers.
Victim identification remains a significant challenge to U.S. efforts to prevent trafficking, prosecute perpetrators, and protect victims. The Church’s Position on Human Trafficking: The elimination of human trafficking and serving and empowering trafficking survivors is a priority issue for the Catholic Church.
In 2014, Pope Francis stated during his Declaration on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: “[M]odern slavery, in terms of human trafficking, forced labor and prostitution, and organ trafficking, is a crime against humanity. Its victims are from all walks of life, but are most frequently among the poorest and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters.” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops