Human Trafficking Overview

What is human trafficking? Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. Victims are subjected to force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of commercial sex or forced labor. Victims are children, teenagers, women and men.

Catholic and other health care organizations and their health care professionals can help victims of human trafficking by being alert to the problem and realizing patients they are treating may be victims.
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January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month

This year's theme is Activate Connections to Prevent Human Trafficking. Human trafficking cannot be prevented by any one individual, community, organization, or government. To improve the lives of those we serve, we must activate connections throughout the systems that impact individual, family, community, and societal health and well-being.

Resources for Healthcare Providers

  • Combating Human Trafficking, American Hospital Association. Access the 2024 toolkit, designed to raise awareness on the various types of human trafficking and to provide hospitals and health systems with resources to combat human trafficking in health care settings. Includes videos, graphics and posts in both English and Spanish.
  • SOAR to Health and Wellness, Public Health Foundation. Access a free, one-hour training model that provides a quick mental reference for professionals to keep on how to help individuals who may have experienced trafficking. For more educational opportunities, visit SOAR online, a series of CE/CME training modules, designed to educate health care providers, social workers, public health professionals, and behavioral health professionals on how to identify and respond appropriately to individuals who are at risk of or who have experienced trafficking.
  • Human Trafficking Response Program, CommonSpirit. Access practical resources and learnings CommonSpirit has developed through national conferences, partnerships and publications. This video presentation highlights CommonSpirit Health's initiative to identify and support victims of violence and human trafficking.

Resources for Communities

  • Human Trafficking Prevention Month Toolkit, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This toolkit helps individuals and organizations share information and resources to increase awareness, foster connections, and ultimately strengthen individuals, families, and communities across the United States. The toolkit breaks the month down into focus weeks. Sample social media posts, sample email and newsletter content, and resources are included.

Resources for Catholic Organizations

If you think someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline: (888) 373-7888.

Upcoming Events


On-Demand Webinar Recordings


Human Trafficking Prayers


CHA Resources

Developed to raise awareness, CHA has developed a flyer on the chocolate trade as well as general awareness posters — FREE for CHA members!

Faithfully United Against Human TraffickingFaithfully United Against Human Trafficking
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Recoginize the Face of Human TraffickingRecognize the Face of Human Trafficking
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Recognize the Face Image A - Human Trafficking 4768 -200Recognize the Face of Human Trafficking Image A
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Recognize the Face Image B - Human Trafficking 4776 -200Recognize the Face of Human Trafficking Image B
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Recognize the Face Image C - Human Trafficking 4783 -200Recognize the Face of Human Trafficking Image C
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Recognize the Face Image D - Human Trafficking 4790 -200Recognize the Face of Human Trafficking Image D
Download a copy:
8.5x11 (English)
8.5x11 (Spanish)
11x17 (English)
11x17 (Spanish)

Order copies (free posters and free shipping!)

 

Easter-Themed Card about Cocoa TradeHuman Trafficking Initiative — Easter-Themed Flyer about the Cocoa Trade
» Download a flyer
» Order copies of the flyer
» Order copies of a card

 

Prayers

A prayer about human trafficking (Sisters of Christian Charity, Eastern Province, USA)

A prayer to end human Trafficking (Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J.)


Prayers

A prayer about human trafficking (Sisters of Christian Charity, Eastern Province, USA)

A prayer to end human Trafficking (Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J.)


Prayers

A prayer about human trafficking (Sisters of Christian Charity, Eastern Province, USA)

A prayer to end human Trafficking (Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, N.J.)


Human Trafficking Educator Honored at 2019 Assembly

Holly Austin Gibbs, director, Human Trafficking Response Program, Dignity Health, San Francisco, a member of CommonSpirit Health, received the Sister Concilia Moran Award for demonstrated creativity and breakthrough thinking.
Read the Catholic Health World article
Watch the video


ST. JOSEPHINE BAKHITA
Promote and Defend Human Dignity
Download the PDF
St. Josephine Bakhita is the patroness of trafficking survivors.



CommonSpirit Resources

Community-based Violence Prevention Resource Guide and Model

PEARR Tool, 2021 Shared Learnings Manual Video highlighting CommonSpirit Health’s initiative to identify and support victims of violence and human trafficking.

CHA Podcast: Catholics Against Human Trafficking


 

News & Notes

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Please Share on Social Media!

Please use the hashtag #humantrafficking as well as #CatholicHealth as you share your important work to combat human trafficking and serve those who are victims.
View and download our social media resources

Sign Up for Updates

Sign up to receive email updates regarding the Catholic Campaign Against Human Trafficking.

Pope Francis Decries Human Trafficking

In July 2018, Pope Francis urged all people to combat the “shameful crime” of human trafficking. During remark in St. Peter’s Square, Francis decried that many adults and children are trafficked into slavery for forced labor, sex businesses, organ trafficking, begging rackets and other criminal activities.
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If you think someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline: (888) 373-7888.