It’s the second most profitable worldwide criminal enterprise after the illegal arms
trade. We’re talking about human trafficking where men, women and children are bought
and sold into slavery every day, whether for the sex trade, domestic servitude or
forced labour. So how can the Catholic Church use its global networks to help fight
the scourge of human trafficking? That’s one of the key aims behind a conference
on combating human trafficking that was being hosted on Tuesday by the Pontifical
Council for Justice and Peace. The key organiser of the conference is Bishop Patrick
Lynch, who heads the Office for Migration of the Church in England and Wales. He
spoke to Susy Hodges.
Bishop Lynch says this conference is an opportunity for
different groups to look together at ways as to "how we can make people aware of this
tragedy" of human trafficking and work together to try "to overcome" this problem.
He says the three themes of the one-day conference in the Vatican are "prevention,
pastoral care and reintegration."
When it comes to how society has responded
to the scourge of human trafficking, Bishop Lynch says the religious institutes of
women "have led the way throughout the world" and "been a shining example" in their
work to try to combat this problem and help the victims.
Listen to the full
interview by Susy Hodges with Bishop Patrick Lynch: