By Francesca Merlo
Human trafficking remains one of the most widespread and least visible forms of violence in the world today. It affects millions of people across continents, and operates almost silently, adapting to new technologies, migration routes and global inequalities. Each year, the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Trafficking in Persons seeks to bring this hidden crime into the light.
A week of work
From Feb 4 – 8, Rome hosted a series of meetings, prayers and public initiatives marking the 12th World Day. Promoted by a broad network of organisations committed to addressing human trafficking – including Talitha Kum – the week focuses on awareness, prevention and concrete action, under the theme Peace begins with dignity.
Accompanying survivors
Among those engaged daily in this work is Sr Abby Avelino, a Maryknoll Sister and International Coordinator of Talitha Kum, the global network of Catholic Sisters working against human trafficking. Speaking to Vatican News, she reflects on how trafficking is changing, why prevention is increasingly urgent, and how dignity must remain at the centre of responses to migration and exploitation.
Sr Abby was born in the Philippines and raised largely in the United States after her family emigrated. “I am Filipino by heart,” she says, “but my life has been shaped by living between cultures.” Her missionary work in Japan marked the beginning of her involvement in anti-trafficking efforts, particularly through accompanying migrants and refugees, many of them women and children. “Through listening to their experiences,” she explains, “I began to see how closely migration and trafficking are linked.” That experience led her to Talitha Kum, a network now present in more than one hundred countries. While awareness of trafficking has increased, she notes that the problem itself continues to grow. “More people today recognise trafficking as a violation of human dignity,” she says. “But many cases are still hidden, and the numbers we see do not reflect the full reality.”
Scammed into scamming
Trafficking methods, she explains, have changed significantly. “It is no longer only the poorest or least educated who are targeted,” Sr Abby says. “Today, traffickers increasingly target young people who are well educated and speak several languages.” Recruitment often takes place online, through offers that appear legitimate and professional. “Many victims believe they are applying for real jobs,” she explains. “They are shown contracts, visas and clear requirements.” From Talitha Kum’s experience, recruitment is particularly high in parts of Africa and Asia, including the Philippines. Some victims are trafficked into forced online scamming operations, often in border areas between Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand.
“They are told they will work in Thailand,” she says, “but they end up trapped in compounds. Once there, they cannot leave.” Victims are forced to work in order to repay the cost of their recruitment and transport. “They are trained, assigned roles and pressured to produce results. This is organised crime, and it is a form of modern slavery.”
Prevention
Rescue remains difficult, particularly in conflict-affected regions. “Access to some areas is extremely limited,” Sr Abby explains. “Often, assistance is only possible once someone reaches a border.” Talitha Kum works with collaborators who are present at these borders, ready to support those who manage to escape. For this reason, prevention is central to the network’s work. “We want to stop trafficking before it happens,” Sr Abby says. Education and awareness are key, particularly around safe migration. “Migration is a human right, but people must know their rights and understand the risks involved.”
She recalls an instance in which a priest she knows asked her to verify a job offer for a family member preparing to migrate. “Through our network, we discovered the company did not exist,” she says. “That simple check prevented a potentially dangerous situation.”
According to Sr Abby, many victims do not recognise that they are being trafficked. “Often, traffickers are people they trust,” she explains. “Some survivors have told us they never imagined a relative or acquaintance would exploit them.” In some situations, victims are coerced into recruiting others as a condition for their own survival.
Lasting trauma
The impact on survivors is long-lasting. “Trafficking causes deep trauma,” she says. “It affects a person’s sense of dignity and security.” Recovery requires time, accompaniment and access to stable work. “Without economic stability, people remain vulnerable.” Despite this, some survivors choose to speak publicly about their experiences. “They want to prevent others from going through the same suffering,” Sr Abby explains. “Their testimonies are important, especially for young people.” She recalls meeting survivors who initially did not identify themselves as victims of trafficking. “Many people say, ‘I didn’t know this was trafficking,’” she explains. “Only later, when they begin to understand their rights and what was taken from them, do they realise what happened.” This lack of awareness, she adds, makes prevention even more urgent.
For this reason, Talitha Kum places strong emphasis on education at every level. “Our Sisters work in schools, parishes and communities,” Sr Abby says. “We even begin with children, because awareness must start early.” Young people, she notes, are both highly vulnerable and powerful agents of change. “When young people understand what is happening, they help protect one another.””
A human, not political issue
Reflecting on current global debates around migration and ever stricter migration laws, Sr Abby stresses the need to keep the human person at the centre. “Migration is often treated only as a political issue,” she says. “But it is fundamentally a human issue.” She refers to her own family’s migration experience and to the fear felt by many migrants today. “Policies that rely on exclusion or punishment increase vulnerability,” she notes. “They do not address the causes of migration or trafficking.”
Peace begins with dignity
For Sr Abby, the message of this year’s World Day is clear. “Peace begins with dignity,” she says. “If dignity is not protected, peace cannot be sustained.” Human trafficking, she stresses, cannot be separated from broader global issues. Poverty, climate-related disasters, conflict and forced migration all increase vulnerability. “People do not leave their homes lightly,” she says. “When they are forced to move, traffickers are ready to take advantage.”
The work of Talitha Kum therefore extends beyond rescue and awareness to advocacy and collaboration at international level. The network works locally, she explains, but remains connected globally, sharing information and responding across borders.
“This is not something one group can do alone,” Sr Abby says. “It requires shared responsibility and solidarity – among institutions, governments, communities and individuals.” – Vatican News
