Missionaries of the Sacred Heart

In a letter to Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran on May 15, 2002, Pope John Paul II stated, “The trade in human persons constitutes a shocking offense against human dignity and a grave violation of fundamental human rights.” The enterprise of human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity. It can earn an annual income of $9.5 billion; it is a “world wide brothel industry.” No country is exempt from human trafficking. The primary targets for trafficking are women and children, especially those marginalized, those who have no voice or protective services. The perpetrators lure them into thinking that a better and more productive life awaits them; however, their lot is exploitation, enslavement to commercial sex trade, prostitution, sweatshop labors, etc. In addition to fraud, they also obtain victims through direct force. Within the United States, approximately 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked. Most of these are of Asian decent; however, they include victims from Europe and Latin America.

The trafficking of human beings is a violation of human rights and human dignity. It mars human growth and development and denies innocent persons the freedom to be fully human as a son/daughter of the Father and as a brother/sister of Jesus. It is a social system, which exploits human beings into slavery, satisfying the perpetrators’ self-interests. Pope John Paul II warns, “The trade in human beings is one of the pressing political, social and economic problems associated with the process of globalization; it presents a serious threat to the security of individual nations and a question of international justice which cannot be deferred.” Human trafficking is a violation of the seventh Commandment which “forbids acts or enterprises that for any reason—selfish or ideological, commercial or totalitarian—lead to the enslavement of human beings to their being bought, sold and exchanged like merchandise.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2414)