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Human trafficking, a problem that needs our attention

A suspected victim of human trafficking to India who returned to Kenya with the help of the International Organization for Migration is seen in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 4, 2020. In the preface to a new Italian book, Pope Francis encourages people to put themselves in the shoes of victims of human trafficking and understand the plight of many immigrants. (CNS photo/Jackson Njehia, Reuters)

A few years ago, my perception of human trafficking was that it involved people beyond our borders, cartels even, who were wrongly controlling and manipulating people’s lives in areas like employment, sexual behavior, and just outright power over them.

This first month of 2021 is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month and, as in my case, I think greater awareness of this crisis is badly needed.

My eyes were first opened to the extent of human trafficking a few years ago when I received a call from one of our local priests. He spoke to me of his belief that a teenage girl from his own parish was being trafficked. I was surprised and even a little skeptical at first. As he described how a group of people at the parish working with this young immigrant seemed to be controlling her life and her behavior, I realized it did indeed have all the signs of human trafficking.

Not long after that phone call, I was working at one of our morning breakfast programs in Langley Park when someone pointed to a building nearby and told me that it was used by traffickers. They would bring victims in from New York on the weekends and use the building as a place to ply their trade.

These two events brought home to me the reality that human trafficking is not just an international effort led by some huge cartel, but that it happens in our own community. Right here in our own area, human beings are treated in inappropriate ways and not with the justice and dignity they deserve. We know too well the sadness that can come to a young woman or young man under the control of others using them for purposes that were never intended by God.

At its core, trafficking involves achieving leverage over another person and using that leverage to force them into “commercial” activities. The three primary activities are sex trafficking (forced prostitution), labor trafficking (involuntary servitude or slavery), and debt bondage (when victims give themselves into slavery as a security against a debt).

Who is being trafficked? Anyone with vulnerabilities. Traffickers exploit those vulnerabilities, and it can happen to males, females, adults, children, U.S. citizens, immigrants, the poor, the wealthy.

Here’s a statistic that shocks and saddens me: More than 49,000 cases of human trafficking in the United States have been reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline between 2007-2019, which receives an average of 150 calls per day.

At Catholic Charities, we do our absolute best to help victims through our Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (TVAP). Hannah Halbreich, the program’s manager, tells me that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the problem. The impact on the economy means fewer job opportunities, which in turn means more people face desperate financial circumstances. It also means trafficking survivors are more vulnerable to being victimized again. Traffickers take advantage of this to exploit people.

In addition, because people are at home more during the pandemic and relying on their smartphones and computers, more of this exploitation begins virtually. That hides it even more than usual. Kids, for example, are not going to school, so there is less of a chance for someone to recognize a trafficking situation.

TVAP has been receiving increased referrals for help. Our workers are trained to identify the signs of trafficking and overcome the barriers. They provide invaluable assistance to anyone who has been trafficked at any point in their lives. They help with immigration legal services as needed, refer clients to our mental health programs to help deal with the psychological trauma of abuse, assist in placing clients in education programs and vocational training, help them find employment, and more.

Trafficking goes directly against our core belief that all human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, and that as such we must be treated with dignity. It goes against Jesus’ very commandment to love our neighbor. The thought of what so many must endure is heartbreaking.

Let us all do our part by praying for an end to human trafficking and for all who are victims. If you are moved to become involved more directly, we have multiple ways to do that. We gladly accept donations of essentials (like toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, sweatpants). Gift cards are also really helpful and can be used to help pay for food and rent.

We are also in the process of restarting our mentorship program, which will resume virtually after being put on hold because of the pandemic. This involves being there to help victims navigate everything from applying for a driver’s license to helping with academics, whatever the personal and professional goals are. I am a huge believer in the value of one-on-one mentorship, and I think it would be especially valuable in helping trafficking victims.

Human trafficking is not a pleasant subject to talk about or think about, but we must confront the evil as best we can and help our brothers and sisters in its grip. If you would like to increase your own awareness, I invite you to visit the Trafficking Victims Assistance Program website at catholiccharitiesdc.org/tvap/ or contact the program at [email protected] or 202.481.1414. If you would like to mentor a trafficking survivor, visit catholiccharitiesdc.org/volunteer to register.

(Msgr. Enzler is the president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington.)

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