Bending the Arc

January is National HumanTrafficking Awareness Month. It is an important time to reflect on the resilience of trafficking survivors and recognize the efforts of those who work tirelessly to prevent and eliminate this inhumane and devastating form of abuse and exploitation.

Human trafficking, a.k.a. modern day slavery, while illegal in every nation of the world, happens in every nation of the world, including ours. According to their book, Slavery in the Land of the Free: A Student’s Guide to Modern Day Slavery, authors Theresa Flores and PeggySue Wells reveal that the United States is a top destination for victims of human trafficking. Approximately 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S., primarily to be prostituted, while another 300,000 American children are at risk of being trafficked in the U.S. Prostitution under the age of 18 is considered a form of modern day slavery.

Modern day slavery/trafficking is not just sex trafficking of adults and children. It includes: forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, child labor, child soldiers, child brides, and organ trafficking.

Sunday, January 11 is #WearBlueDay. Learn more about this and other ways you can help spread awareness at this Department of Homeland Security site.

The Alliance to End Human Trafficking is an organization founded and supported by U.S. Catholic Sisters. The Alliance works to end human trafficking by providing educational resources, giving presentations, raising awareness, and engaging in advocacy at the state and federal level. They support survivors of human trafficking in healing and thriving through direct services such as providing shelter, counseling, spiritual support, job placement, and educational scholarships.

As we approach National Human Trafficking Awareness month and the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita (Feb 8), the Alliance to End Human Trafficking has also prepared this toolkit to support your education, prayer, and outreach efforts in the months ahead.