(ANS - Rome) - Today, 8 February 2016, the Church celebrates its Second World Day to Combat Human Trafficking. The day was strongly desired by Pope Francis and launched for the first time in 2015. Significantly, it is celebrated on the day when we commemorate St Josephine Bakhita, herself a victim of trafficking. The aim is to create greater awareness of the problem and try to give concrete answers to end this scourge.

Trafficking in human beings is one of the worst forms of slavery of the twenty-first century, and one that concerns the whole world. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), about 21 million people, often poor and vulnerable, are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labour, organ removal, forced begging, domestic servitude, forced marriage, illegal adoption, surrogacy, and other forms of exploitation.

Every year, about 2.5 million people are victims of human trafficking and are reduced to slavery.  Seventy percent are women and children. Often they suffer abuse and unspeakable violence. For traffickers and pimps it is one of the most lucrative illegal activities, bringing them a total of over 32 billion dollars a year. It is the third most profitable "business", after drugs and arms trafficking.

Unfortunately, after years of conflict and intervention on behalf of the victims, no decrease in the phenomenon can be seen. Indeed, there has been a steady increase and changes in the forms of exploitation. There is a need to intensify actions against the traffickers, but especially prevention, as well as relaunching the social reintegration programmes for those who wish to return home in dignity.

On Saturday 6 February, the Salesians held two significant events to raise awareness on this issue. In Ghana the Rector Major, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime, met with child victims of trafficking who are housed at the Salesian "Child Protection Centre". On the same day, at Sacro Cuore in Rome, there was a prayer vigil with some testimonies, followed by a pilgrimage to the Holy Door of the House of Charity in Via Marsala.

Materials for promoting awareness and for the celebrations are available on the websites Migrantes ands Slaves no More.

Published 08/02/2016