Human trafficking is a crime shaming us all. It consists of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, deception or other means for the purpose of exploiting them. Human trafficking has many faces as each year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad. Every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims.

The garment industry, at home and abroad, has been, sadly, an ideal setting for human trafficking. Shrouded in secrecy, the supply chain reaps rewards for brands and consumers at a devastating cost to workers. At several points in the supply chain from the cotton field to the retailer, human trafficking is prevalent. Forced labor is even found in varied elements like fabric dyeing and the mining of minerals for zippers and snaps.

The Human Thread works vigorously alongside partners like U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking and within the Coalition of Catholic Organizations Against Human Trafficking regarding this important issue.

Blue Heart Campaign

The Blue Heart

The Blue Heart represents the sadness of those who are trafficked while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell fellow human beings. The use of the blue UN color also demonstrates the commitment of the United Nations to combating this crime against human dignity.

In the coming days, our Facebook page and our Twitter account will use this image to promote awareness of the campaign.

Prayer Resources

The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word have prepared a Prayer Service for July 30th World Day Against Human Trafficking in English and Spanish.