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February 25, 2014
human trafficking
Catholics take stand against ‘scourge’ of human trafficking
T
he Valley Catholic
‘About 12.3 million
people are trafficked each
year into forced labor or
sexual exploitation.’
By Mark Pattison
The U.S. Department of Labor has its own country-by-country list of
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Human
goods produced by forced labor, child labor, or both, available at
trafficking is “an extremely lucrative
enterprise. The risks are quite low,”
www.dol.gov/ilab/programs/OCFT/2013TVPRA_Infographic.pdf.
said Limnyuy Konglim, education
and outreach coordinator for the antiravaged by typhoons, earthquakes
trafficking and resources and services
immigrant communities.
trafficking program of the U.S. bishops’
and floods, people head to cities to
available for victims.
With immigrants more vulnerable
Migration and Refugee Services.
seek work, only to be exploited into
• The Diocese of San Jose has a Huto exploitation and trafficking because
One reason for the low risk, accordservitude.
man Trafficking Network, in collabothey work in such poorly regulated
ing to Pope Francis, is that “many peoAshley Feasley, an MRS immigraration with the Diocese of Monterey,
industries like agriculture, domestic,
ple have blood on their hands because
tion policy adviser, said “supply chain
which meets regularly to discuss the
hospitality, and service, MRS staff
of their silent complicity.” The pope
awareness legislation” is in the works
issue and provide information and
trains individuals to conduct outreach
also has called human
in Congress: the FORTE
resources for parishes. (Story, below)
and educate their peers on human
trafficking “a scourge.”
Act, for Fraudulent, OverAbout 12.3 million
seas Recruitment and Traf‘Many people
people are trafficked
ficking Eli