Men and women religious on the front line to stop human trafficking during the World Cup
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The World Cup that is set to begin in Brazil is one of those mega - events in which "the risks of trafficking for sexual exploitation and labor have increased", "as was the case during the World Cup in Germany and South Africa, where there was an increase respectively of 30 and 40%". This has give birth to the Talitha Kum Campaign - the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in persons - for the World Cup Brazil 2014: "Play for Life, report trafficking" presented today at the Vatican.
Officially launching the campaign today Card. João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life,said it is in line with the statement of Pope Francis who described the rafficking and the exploitation of humans a " wound in the body of contemporary humanity, a wound on the body of Christ". Religious life is especiialy touched by this tragic reality, as religious " are found all over the world committed to their mission in the midst of all forms of poverty and touch with their hands the humiliation , the suffering, the inhuman and degrading treatment meted out to men, women, and children in this modern day slavery". This is why Talitha Kum (Arise girl in Aramaic) was established by the International Union of Superiors General .
Five years after its inception, said
Sister Estrella Castalone , FMA , coordinator of Talitha Kum, it now includes
24 networks representing 79 countries with more than 800 female / 240 male congregations
, all committed to stopping the trafficking in persons.
In events like the World Cup, she added, "many people are employed to work
in various sectors of the tourism industry such as hotels, bars, restaurants,
transportation of goods and people", so that people even from neighboring
countries migrate in search of work. "Unfortunately, those who accept job
offers can be deceived and become victims of various forms of exploitation".
Concretely, said Sister Gabriella Bottani , SMC, coordinator of the network Um Grito pela Vida , Brazil, "the campaign uses media and social networks to inform and raise awareness of the possible risks and how to intervene to report any cases". Graphic material , flyers and posters are already on the streets, on public transport in airports or tourist spots, as well as in several cities in Brazil , Argentina, Paraguay , Peru, Colombia and Central America also through mass communication.
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