Human trafficking concept, female hands tied with a price tag on dark background and dramatic lighting

Catholic Sisters Working To Eradicate Human Trafficking

In early March, Catholic Sisters Week shines a light on the faith, spirituality, mission, and community building of women religious internationally. To recognize Catholic sisters, this dialogue will lift up their critical work to address and eliminate human trafficking, which threatens the lives, dignity, and hopes of so many vulnerable people, especially women. Human trafficking is on the rise in many parts of the world, victimizing over 25 million children and adults, with an estimated 80% in forced labor and 20% in sex trafficking. According to the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (formerly the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking), human trafficking thrives because of a web of social injustice and human apathy. The Catholic Church publicly condemns human trafficking while working toward its elimination. Catholic sisters care for victims and survivors, seek to rebuild the lives of those affected by it, and work for the elimination of human trafficking.

The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University are bringing together four outstanding leaders in this vital work to explore questions such as:

  • What is human trafficking? How and why does it happen? What do you find is often most misunderstood about human trafficking?
  • Why is addressing human trafficking a priority for your ministry and the work of your community? What do you do and why? How does your congregation provide support to those who have been victimized by trafficking? 
  • How do you understand the ways in which your faith and the principles of Catholic social teaching call you and all of us to resist and oppose human trafficking?
  • How do we identify trafficking in our communities, and how do we respond to it?
  • What economic, social, or policy factors make human trafficking possible? What needs to change to eliminate those contributing factors? 

Participants:

  • Sr. Abby Avelino, M.M., is the international coordinator of Talitha Kum, the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in Persons. She is an active member of Talitha Kum Japan and is very active in building networks and anti-trafficking activities.
  • Katie Boller Gosewisch is the executive director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT), a collaborative, faith-based national network that offers education, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy to eradicate human trafficking in the United States. AEHT members include over 200 congregations of Catholic sisters, coalitions working against human trafficking, and individuals.
  • Sr. Patricia Ebegbulem, SSL, is the 2023 recipient of the Human Dignity Award from the Sisters Anti-Trafficking Awards for lifetime achievement in addressing exploitation. She has established and runs a shelter for victims of human trafficking, organized support services for survivors of sex trafficking, runs mass awareness programs in high-risk areas and schools, and is a national leader on addressing human trafficking in Nigeria.
  • Sr. Licia Joseph, SMI, has served as a member of the Canon Law Council of the International Union of Superiors General. The union, known as UISG, is a canonically approved organization of the superiors general of Catholic women congregations. As a member of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, she has served her congregation as a provincial secretary, provincial councilor, formator, teacher, and local superior.

Kimberly Mazcyk (SFS’90), associate director of the Initiative, will moderate the conversation. Kimberly has served in key positions at Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities USA, and the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur East-West Province.

This Public Dialogue is co-sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.

Recording ​and Accessibility

For those who cannot join us for the livestream, a recording will be made available and posted online for later viewing.

All accommodation requests should be sent to cathsocialthought@georgetown.edu by March 1. A good-faith effort will be made to fulfill requests.