Australia
Human Trafficking
$6,000 Goal
Summary of the Situation
At this year’s International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, Pope Francis missioned the young people of the world to a year of activation in the fight to end human trafficking. The members of Australian Catholic Religious against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) are committed to ensuring that “all may have life and have it to the full work (Jn 10:10). A generous band of volunteers work together to: advocate for and with victims survivors; raise awareness; and address and prevent human trafficking, forced labor and forced marriage. ACRATH is a member of the global Talitha Kum network of networks.
How will the funds be used?
We are seeking financial support to bring the students together from distant locations to share and learn from each other (transport, hospitality, resources), to provide modest funding for the actions of each school group, and to engage multimedia and technical support, to record and share learnings and outcomes.
The Sisters’s Response
ACRATH is working with 5 schools in rural and metropolitan settings, to actively engage young people in the fight to end human trafficking. Approximately 50 young people aged 15-17 years of age, under the guidance of a teacher at each school and an ACRATH mentor, are participating in this project for 6 months.
Specifically, the project aims to assist the young participants to be agents of change by:
– developing knowledge and understanding of the nature and reality of human trafficking,
– identifying the impact of human trafficking on victims and society in general,
– increasing understanding that human trafficking is consumer-driven, and
– designing and implementing an action to share their newfound knowledge with their peers and their community.
Systemic Impact
Today there are more victims of human trafficking and slavery than ever before in human history. Exploitation is all around us, hidden in plain sight in the communities in which we all live. This requires each of us to acknowledge our part in the cycle of greed which drives human trafficking.
For young people in Victoria, Australia we hope to make the invisible visible and create the opportunity for young people to become active protagonists in the fight to end human trafficking and the exploitation, abuse, and suffering that accompanies it.