CHARLOTTE — Modern-day slavery is a chronic problem in North Carolina, and this month Catholics are being urged to learn more about how to help fight it.
Human trafficking is the second-largest criminal enterprise in the world. According to the United Nations, nearly 40.3 million people are victims of modern slavery, of whom 24.9 million are trapped in forced labor and sexual slavery and 15.4 million subjected to forced marriage. In the U.S., about 20,000 women and children are coerced into exploitative labor or sex work each year.
North Carolina public safety data consistently ranks the state among the top 10 states for human trafficking. More than 250 cases of human trafficking in the state were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2022 – but many more cases go unreported, state officials say.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is highlighting this issue at a free program on Wednesday, Feb. 8 – the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of trafficking victims. People are encouraged to come and pray and learn more about how to spot the signs of human trafficking in our community.
It will be held 6:15-7:15 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church, located at 328-B Woodsway Lane N.W. in Lenoir. The event will include a bilingual prayer service to pray for victims of human trafficking, followed by an information session to raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking.
It is being sponsored by Catholic Charities’ Human Trafficking Awareness Committee and St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
The Human Trafficking Awareness Committee emphasizes that human trafficking is often right in front of us: in massage parlors, nail salons, construction sites and in the hospitality industry. It’s also found behind the scenes, on farms and in factories where our favorite goods and products come from. It is present online, where vulnerable women and children are targeted, groomed and exploited by the pornography industry.
Working toward eliminating human trafficking is a top priority for the Catholic Church. Catholic social teaching proclaims the dignity of every human person and the sanctity of all human life.
Pope Francis has said, “Modern 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.”
— Catholic News Herald
At www.ccdoc.org/education: Get more details about the Feb. 8 anti-human trafficking event in Lenoir
At www.ccdoc.org/humantrafficking: Find more information, resources and how to get involved with anti-trafficking organizations
Report trafficking hotline
Suspect an incident of human trafficking or need help for a potential victim? Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Who was St. Josephine Bakhita?
Josephine Bakhita was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery in Sudan and Italy. Once Josephine was freed, she became a Canossian nun and dedicated her life to sharing her testament of deliverance from slavery and comforting the poor and suffering. She was declared a saint in 2000.
Her feast day, Feb. 8, is now also celebrated as the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.
— USCCB