War on human trafficking

Efforts by a group of women religious in 26 countries to tackle the distressing problem of human trafficking must be roundly welcomed and resolutely supported.

Members of religious orders in particular can make a marked difference in combating this modern form of slavery by virtue of their congregations typically operating internationally.

Greater things yet could be accomplished if their initiative, the International Network of Religious Against Trafficking in Persons, should receive the engaged support of the Union of General Superiors, which represents 215 orders of men religious.

The Church has adopted the prophetic mission of fighting against human trafficking and for the victims of the crime. To that end, the Holy See has endorsed the International Network of Religious Against Trafficking in Persons initiative. In Southern Africa, the Catholic bishops have set up a desk to address the problem, which is especially acute in South Africa, a centre of import, export and transit in the trade in human beings.

Human trafficking is big global business, almost as lucrative as the drug trade—and even more revolting. In South Africa, it is the third-biggest form of crime, after the trade in drugs and arms.

Every year, millions of lives are sold and abused. Some are condemned to forced labour (including, allegedly, on some South African farms), while many women are coerced to work as sex slaves, usually after systematic violations of a kind which no human being should endure.

Disturbingly, many governments and law enforcement agencies around the world have been slow to act decisively or, in some cases, ethically in combating human trafficking. In some countries, law enforcement attitudes reflect a callous notion of women being forced to work 16 hours a day as disenfranchised prostitutes as “a victimless crime”.

When slaves (for that is what trafficked people are) escape their subjection, they are often treated as illegal immigrants, and deported to the place of their origin—usually back into the domain of those who were responsible for their plight in first place.

The lack of protection for the victims of human trafficking feeds the problem as its perpetrators are emboldened to act with impunity.

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, the outgoing Anglican primate of Southern Africa, told a conference on human trafficking in Cape Town last month: “We cannot claim to be part of a civilised world as long as there is effective enslavement of so many people, 80% of whom are women and children [and] 50% of whom are minors.”

He rightly pointed out that human trafficking constitutes “an offence against our most fundamental understanding of what it is to be a human being”.

Our contempt must be directed not only at those disgusting individuals who trade in human lives, but also at those who exploit the victims indirectly, and at those who do have the power to address the problem, but fail to exercise that power adequately.

The churches can do much to provide protection for people who escape their captivity—in terms of shelter and legal support—and in influencing the formulation of policy and its enforcement.

Working together according to an integrated and strategic plan, they have the potential to liberate many deeply unfortunate people from their slavery, and prevent many others from falling into the trap of human trafficking in the first place.

This social justice ministry must receive our vigorous support.