Hello everyone! Here is an overview of the meeting of the Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking that I attended yesterday. There was a focus on migration patterns and human trafficking. Tony Cube of Justice for Immigrants spoke of the recent ICE raids, spurring discussion about the gross inadequacy of that organization to identify trafficked persons and then the lack of services and inefficiencies within the judiciary process to support rehabilitation and grant legal status. This information underlined the need for comprehensive immigration reform as part of the interventions that combat trafficking in persons. We heard a report from members of Catholic Relief Services who had recently visited Moldova and Bosnia, concerning a number of programs that support sustainable livelihoods and awareness building among vulnerable groups. Observations were made concerning the influence of the international media on the aspirations of young women in Moldova. Also noted is the lack of transportation to the working centers of the country, compared with the frequent access to buses heading to Paris or Moscow. Overall, it was encouraging to hear about these prevention programs and the many ways they support the well being of the community. Hopefully their report will be available on the web in the coming months.
We received an update on the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) which congress will not reauthorize before the end of their session. The undercurrents that surface within the legislative body concern discrepancies around possible preferential treatment to domestic cases over protection for foreign born victims; and focusing services on sexual exploitation over the problem of forced labor The silver lining is that the new congress will likely provide a better condition for the bill to be expanded and improved upon. A new draft of the bill will be submitted to the Coalition, in early November, for members to offer their wisdom and suggestions.
Also, Todd Scriber is putting together an educational parish packet concerning human trafficking that will be distributed throughout the US. He hopes to have it completed by late February. Anyone is welcome to contribute material or offer suggestions. His email address is tscribner@usccb.org.
The next coalition meeting will be a two day long event, February 11th and 12th, and will take place in Miami. Anybody itching for some tropical weather in the middle of winter?
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