South African Catholics prepare to fight trafficking during World Cup

(Jan.13,2010): Catholic officials are working to make sure South Africa's hosting of the world's largest soccer championship, does not endanger the nation's citizens, especially women and children. While the 2010 FIFA World Cup provides a wonderful opportunity for building global unity and friendships, hosting it is full of risks and threats, including human trafficking, said Dominican Father Mike Deeb, director of the justice and peace department of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference.
Raising awareness of human trafficking and working with the police and other authorities to prevent it, are the biggest challenges before the June 11 to July 11 World Cup, said Holy Family Sister Melanie O'Connor, who since January 2008 has been coordinating the bishops' efforts to combat trafficking . Criminals intending to establish prostitution rings at the sporting event need to know that we're ready to stop them, she said and added that thousands of people have been trained to assist the police in maintaining law and order during the games. She also said that volunteers from parishes around the country, are being trained to look out for women and children who may have been forced into prostitution, mainly those who have no identification documents and are afraid of reporting their situation to the authorities.
During the World Cup, the church plans to offer trauma counselling to crime victims, said Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of Durban.