Houston Republic

Too often, people fail to concern themselves with social issues such as the scourge of human trafficking until they are personally impacted by them.

The Gastonia Times recently reported that trafficking is a $150 billion industry according to the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which also indicated Texas has the second-highest rate in the nation.

Monica Hatcher, Director of Social Concerns for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, pointed out the correlation between the Catholic faith and advocating for awareness and addressing the issue.

“As Catholics, we’re called to protect human dignity because in it lies the image and likeness of our Creator,” Hatcher said. ”Human trafficking is an obscenity against that dignity in that it deprives individuals, most often women and children, of their freedom for the basest of purposes – to exploit them for profit. Traffickers seek to reduce human persons, sacred and precious, to mere objects of trade. It’s completely unacceptable.”

Hatcher said that Houston has been identified as a hub for trafficking with massage parlors, prostitution and other areas of concern. She pointed out there are societal issues ranging anywhere from pornography to the sourcing of seafood in a grocery store that can be linked to trafficking. 

Parishes are among the venues where education on the issue can take place. But it is also imperative for spiritual and political leaders to grasp the significance of the issue.

“We can’t stand by and allow our neighbors to be abused,” Hatcher said. “Human trafficking is a dark, dark crime. It involves intimate relationships, abuse of power and strength against the weak, the terrible use of a human being. If the problem is as truly massive as all the experts say it is, then our leaders need to be doing a lot more about it. 

“Spiritual leaders can help by leading the faithful in the cultivation of our spiritual disposition and consciences to respect and value people as they deserve and to not grow numb when presented with the evil of the world. Because many of us can be personally implicated – either directly or indirectly – in trafficking by our consumer choices, spiritual leaders can help us see the way our actions have a ripple effect through the world and touch the lives of others.”

The Sisters of Charity has taken it upon themselves to be proactive through a number of venues to do their part in stemming the tide of trafficking.

“Our sisters support the anti-trafficking movement locally in Houston and in the areas where they minister around U.S. and the world,” Hatcher said. “We offer support to anti-trafficking organizations, sponsor and co-sponsor ministries, and serve on committees that seek to link efforts to combat and prevent trafficking. We dedicate time for advocacy and education among ourselves and also in the broader community by hosting speakers and participating in awareness-raising events and other activities. We are continually seeking ways to further our involvement and keep the issue visible.”