Peace through Justice Stories
Campaign to Stop the Demand for Human Trafficking in Washington State
CSJPS in Seattle, Washington are collaborating with other women religious and community groups to stop the demand for human trafficking.
Sister Susan Francois, CSJP (pictured at far right with Associate Connie Fraser, CSJP-A and Sister Beth Taylor, CSJP at the monthly human trafficking vigil) ministers at the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center where she coordinates their human trafficking community outreach and advocacy program. She is also on the community board of advisors of Seattle Against Slavery.
CSJP Sisters and Associates gather with others on the first Sunday of each month in downtown Seattle for a silent prayer vigil to raise awareness and stand in solidarity with victims of human trafficking.
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Trafficking in Women in the United Kingdom, by Sister Margaret Healy, CSJP
Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes perpetrated in this century. Globally, it is estimated that millions of young people are trafficked into the labour and sex industries annually. It is also believed that human trafficking rivals the illicit trade in arms and drugs as one of the most lucrative criminal activities today. One sex trafficker is reported to have commented that "dealing with people is better than drugs because once the drugs are sold they are consumed whereas people can be resold."
Young people being trafficked into the UK are primarily from Eastern Europe and the Baltic States. These are very poor countries emerging from the former Communist regime. With the collapse of communism and the former Soviet Union, funding for many of these, now independent, countries is no longer available. There is large-scale unemployment. For many young people their only option is emigration.
It is known that in many of these countries, the more competent young people are ear-marked by parents to go abroad and through their work support their families at home – much as the Irish did in Margaret Anna’s time and through much of the Twentieth Century. The young people are duped into travelling abroad with the promise of good job opportunities in catering and service industries. Some are enticed through fake advertising, others are encouraged by relatives and other contacts. When they arrive they realise they’ve been conned and find themselves being used and abused in prostitution. Because in their own countries the police are generally not considered trustworthy, when they arrive in Britain they are told by their gang-masters that horrendous things will happen to their families at home if they talk to the police. Some gang-masters even claim that the police are working for them and threaten dire consequences if the victims speak to the police.
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy, aware of the needs of trafficked people, decided to open their homes to young women who escaped or were rescued from slavery. They soon realised that hospitality wasn’t enough. These young people were very traumatised by all they had been through. They needed professional help e.g. counselling, health care, interpreters etc. Glimpsing the magnitude of the problem and aware of their own diminishment with ageing, infirmity and lack of personnel the Sisters invited the Religious of England and Wales to a one day Conference on the topic of ‘Trafficking’. This invitation was circulated through COR (the equivalent of LCWR). Sr. Joan Ward, CSJP and I represented the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace at this conference. A total of forty-eight religious men and women attended.
The aim of the day was to assess interest and support for a project that would include providing ‘safe’ houses round the country for victims, personnel to run the houses and funding to meet staff salaries and the running costs of these ‘safe’ houses. We would also be looking at the root causes, addressing the demand for sex that is driving this industry and networking with countries of origin. It transpired that some of the communities represented have communities in the countries of Eastern Europe and agreed to alert them to the sex trafficking scandal and invite them to get involved. Those present were asked to share with their respective leaders and ascertain how they might respond to the needs.
Three Religious Communities have been able to make houses available. Another house was offered by a married couple in response to a talk given in a parish by one of the Sisters. It is hoped to open two or three of these houses in September. The business side of the project is well in hand. We are currently in the process of seeking charitable status for the project and drafting leasing agreements for the properties being made available for the charity’s use. The St. John of God Brothers offered the use of their Care services (a Professional Team) to help with the business side of the project. Staff has to be employed and trained.
Up to now the working party has the support of Police Forces, Government Ministers, the Bishops’ Conference etc. and we are looking towards expanding our contacts and making trafficking a priority for all the major influential and/or caring communities. While the working party continues to meet regularly we have also formed into three sub-groups to take responsibility for specific areas. I serve on the campaigning group. We are currently pressurising the government into honouring its commitment to the victims of trafficking, under the Palermo protocol, which Britain ratified recently. We are also addressing the current major concern which arises in relation to Germany’s hosting of the Soccer World Cup in July when one of the perks on offer will be the availability of sex slaves and prostitutes to cater for the influx of visitors. Recently it was announced that Germany will allow some 40,000 – 50,000 people to be used in the sex industry to gratify the sexual needs of the football supporters during the World Cup series. Our working party and the campaigning group have written letters to Chancellor Angela Merkle, appealing to her as a woman, to use her influence to condemn this terrible abuse of young people. We are designing leaflets which the various World Cup Teams are being invited to distribute among their members and supporters. Many Justice and Peace groups are involved in this campaign. Education is needed to awaken people to the reality that sex trafficking is not acceptable and is a serious violation of human rights. People are being commodified and sold into sexual slavery. I invite you to keep this concern in prayer. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.
Sister Margaret Healy, CSJP