Caritas Internationalis director calls for global crusade against human trafficking

The head of the Vatican's charity network has urged Catholics to consider the plight of countless people around the world who have been deprived of their human dignity.

July 1, 2024

This photo taken on December 8, 2023 shows Mirai Kisaragi (front right), one of the growing number of victims of financial and sexual exploitation linked to the establishments that have dotted Japan’s Kabukicho red-light district for decades, silhouetted as she poses along a street in Tokyo. Growing up, Kisaragi fled her abusive parents, barely survived homelessness and contemplated suicide. At 18, she met her “savior” at one of the hundreds of Tokyo clubs where men entertain women. (Photo by Richard A. Brooks/AFP)

Marc Saludes
The head of the Vatican's charity network has urged Catholics to reflect on the plight of countless people around the world who have been deprived of their human dignity.

“We too would like to think of the many people in this world who have been stripped of their human dignity and pushed to the brink of despair, so that they can stand on their own two feet,” said Archbishop Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, President of Caritas Internationalis.

In his June 30 homily at St. Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo, the prelate drew attention to the issue of human trafficking, linking it to the biblical story of Jesus resurrecting a young girl, a story that represents hope and the restoration of dignity.

Using the phrase “Talitha, kum” from the Gospel of Mark, Archbishop Isao Kikuchi highlighted the importance of empowering those trapped in human trafficking, emphasizing its prevalence in Japan and in the world.

He challenged the misconception that human trafficking is only a problem in faraway countries. “Human trafficking does not happen in a faraway world; it happens in the reality of Japanese society,” he said.

He highlighted the local presence of this global problem, calling for recognition that challenges the often-held belief that it is foreign-exclusive.

The prelate recalled that in 2009, the International Federation of Superiors General of Women Religious Orders created “Talitacum”, a network aimed at combating human trafficking.

This network, active in Japan, reflects the Church's commitment to defending the marginalized.

Pope Francis, at this year's Talitacum General Assembly, called human trafficking a “systematic evil” that requires a multi-level response and stressed the importance of directly supporting victims.

Bishop Kikuchi urged the Catholic community to support those who have lost their dignity, to help them regain their independence and to restore hope.

He highlighted the essential role of community engagement in combating human trafficking in Japan and around the world.

The Japanese government has recognized the problem within its borders and has launched campaigns to raise public awareness of the problem of human trafficking.

The government of Japan remains at Level 2 in combating human trafficking because it still does not fully meet minimum standards but is showing significant efforts to improve, according to the U.S. State Department's Office for Human Trafficking. monitor and combat human trafficking.

These efforts include the creation of a task force to reform the Technical Intern Training Program (TITP) to address vulnerabilities related to forced labor, the approval of a National Action Plan focusing on forced labor and child sex trafficking, and an increase in convictions for sex trafficking.

However, challenges remain, such as a lack of political will to aggressively combat child labor and sex trafficking, insufficient monitoring of children exploited in the sex trade, lenient penalties for traffickers, and ineffective cooperation agreements with countries sending workers under the TITP.

Furthermore, the identification of victims of trafficking, particularly men and persons covered by the TITP, remains insufficient, and victim support services are not uniformly available in all prefectures, with no provisions for male victims and with disruptive demands on women and children seeking shelter.–licas.news