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TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

Did you know that people are trafficked into Australia? In this modern manifestation of slavery people are treated like commodities, and exploited sexually, or for their labour.

'Shameful' failure to tackle slavery and human trafficking in the UK
Ministers, the police and social workers have been accused of a shocking failure to prevent the spread of modern slavery in the UK, leading to sexual exploitation, forced labour and the domestic servitude of adults and children from across the world.  

Trafficking highly lucrative
'Human trafficking is the second most profitable global business, surpassing drug trafficking, and second to arms trafficking. Approximately three million women and children are trafficked each year for labor or prostitution,' said Jackie Shapiro of End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT-USA).  

(see also 'Saving the trafficked women and children' from Fr Shay Cullen in Philippines)

Fight Human Trafficking campaigns at Olympics
Christians from across the globe are using a novel way to draw attention to British and foreign tourists of the universality of human trafficking. STOP THE TRAFFIK and UN.GIFT, the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking, have come up with the GIFT box project which seeks, like human trafficking, to entice people towards something beautiful only to find that once engaged the outcome is far from what was originally expected.  

Anti-trafficking campaigners use London Olympics to raise profile
Masud was 12. His parents were persuaded, tricked, to let him be taken from his home in Bangladesh to a new life in England. He was sold - 'Trafficked'. Masud left his family home with an unknown man who travelled with him to London then onto the South West where he was abandoned in an Indian restaurant. In just under a year (September 21, 2012) the Olympics will kick-off in London and, with the support of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the lobby group, Stop the Traffik, is using the opportunity to raise awareness about such human trafficking through community roadshows.

Pakistan, Australia resolve to end human trafficking
Pakistan and Australia have resolved to further enhance joint measures to end human trafficking and transnational crimes. This was decided in a September 13 meeting in Islamabad between Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Chief Operating Officer Customs and Border Protection Service Australia Michael Pezzullo. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the media after the meeting that Australia is providing Pakistan with a forensic laboratory as well as imparting training to Pakistani officers of police and law enforcement agencies in Australia for their capacity building.

See also ‘Trading Lives’.

ACRATH
June 12 is World day against child labour and the coalition of Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans seeks to give a voice to people trafficked throughout the world. ACRATH also provides resources on Catholic Social Teaching, evidence behind trafficking and practical ways to work towards ending human slavery.

Introduction to Trafficking
The International Franciscans' introduction to trafficking is a great place to explore the phenomenon of trafficking in persons and how international agencies have responded.

Stop the Traffik
Check out the Stop the Traffik website. Designed to raise awareness and understanding of the causes of trafficking worldwide and call for change. Click here for information on global campaigns, projects, events and resources.

Modern Slavery
Watch Hack's report on the making of Call & Response.