Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) has developed a prayer and action resource to use in marking the 2020 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.
“The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that there are more than 40 million people in our world today who are victims of human trafficking,” ACRATH says on its website.
“Some are women and men trafficked into forced labour in factories, agricultural fields, hospitality and domestic servitude.
“Some are children trafficked to pick our coffee or to work in dangerous mines for minerals to make our mobile phones, other electronic goods and cosmetics.
“Some are young girls, boys and women trafficked into sexual exploitation in brothels, dance bars and the pornography industry.
“The current COVID-19 crisis is impacting on people most vulnerable to trafficking because they often live in poverty and lack suitable housing and healthcare.
“Forced labour and human trafficking happens in every country including Australia. It is a billion dollar industry. Yet behind all the statistics is a human person and their story.”
The prayer and action resource suggests some practical things people can do to help put a stop to human trafficking. They include:
Become an ethical consumer of coffee, chocolate, fashion and electronic goods etc;
Ensure your school/workplace staff room and your own kitchen use only slavery free products;
Talk with 4-5 friends or family members about the issue of human trafficking;
Check out the following website to further educate yourself- https://acrath.org.au/;
Arrange a display or forum to raise awareness of the extent of the crime of human trafficking in
in and beyond Australia;
Put a notice in the school/parish bulletin about 2020 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons;
Organise a fund-raising activity to support ACRATH’s work against human trafficking;
Organise a letter-writing campaign asking federal politicians to support groups such as ACRATH who work with victims of human trafficking in Australia.
Praying together for an end to human trafficking:
Loving God, it’s hard to express what our minds can hardly comprehend or our hearts feel when we learn of people like us being trafficked because of human greed.
Response: May our prayer and actions cast light on the crime of human trafficking and help bring it to an end.
It’s difficult to hear of people being threatened, deceived and forced into sexual exploitation or forced labour. Response
We remember all who have been trafficked and robbed of their God-given dignity, that they will be strengthened by love and support that is tender and good. Response
Give us faith and courage to stand in solidarity with all trafficked persons that together we will find the freedom that is your gift and thus create a safer world. Response
Download the ACRATH resources to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons here.
Learn more about ACRATH and how you can get involved here.