By Sr. Therese Koottiyaniyil (PhD)
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is the exploitation of people for profit through force, fraud or coercion. It is also known as modern-day slavery. It is a highly global enterprise affecting millions of people across the world. Victims of this crime are women and girls of all ages and from all backgrounds, trafficked for sexual exploitation. Men and boys may be victims of trafficking for forced labour, forced begging, commercial sex or domestic servitude. Children from poor rural families are frequently trafficked to urban centres. Traffickers exploit poverty, lack of employment or the desire for a better life.
Methods used for trafficking
Traffickers trap victims through the "lover boy" method, showing affection and attention. Another method is confiscating official identification, such as a passport, or using blackmail and threats against the victims or their families. In some cases, extreme poverty leads parents to sell their children in order to gain an income. The victims work under threat of violence.
Some official statistics
The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that, at any given moment, over 27.6 million people are trapped in forced labour globally, with millions more trafficked for sexual exploitation, organ removal and the trade in human lives.
In the European Union, official statistics reveal a complex picture. In 2024, 9,678 victims of human trafficking were registered, and many more remain undetected. A growing number of minors are being trafficked, often for sexual exploitation or forced labour in sectors including agriculture, manufacturing and domestic servitude. In 2022, Indian authorities investigated 2,250 trafficking cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
India's trafficking landscape varies significantly across states and regions, reflecting local economic conditions, demographic patterns and cultural factors. Women and girls constitute the majority of trafficking victims in India, primarily trafficked for sexual exploitation. However, men and boys are also vulnerable, particularly to forced labour in construction, agriculture, manufacturing and other sectors. Children from poor rural families are frequently trafficked to urban centres for domestic servitude, begging or commercial sexual exploitation.
Impacts of human trafficking on the survivors
The impact of trafficking extends far beyond the period of exploitation itself. Survivors often face profound physical and psychological trauma that can persist for years after their rescue. Physical consequences may include injuries from violence, sexually transmitted infections, malnutrition and exhaustion from forced labour. Psychological impacts can include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, complex trauma responses, anger, self-hatred, self-blame, feelings of guilt, sleep disturbances, isolation and so on.
Faith's response to this great scandal of our time
The Church plays a crucial role in combating human trafficking. First and foremost, this is done through the organised prayer of the faithful at the global level. Spiritual accompaniment offers hope and psychological healing to help survivors navigate complex trauma. Faith communities respond to human trafficking by treating it as a fundamental violation of human dignity: every person is created in the image of God and is a child of God.
Many faith-based organisations focus on direct intervention by providing shelter to survivors. Some religious sisters work on the frontlines to rehabilitate victims and reintegrate them into society. With help from businesses, governments, NGOs and other like-minded agencies, they provide vocational training, economic empowerment programmes and awareness-building initiatives to educate impoverished communities — helping them find employment, prevent trafficking, eliminate slave labour and stop recruitment. In cooperation with NGOs and the police, they also carry out operations to locate hidden centres of prostitution and other criminal activities, in order to remove victims from such terrible situations.
Conclusion
Human trafficking is a devastating global crime in our modern societies, preying on the most vulnerable among us. Online platforms and social media have become hunting grounds for traffickers, who use sophisticated recruitment strategies to lure vulnerable people with false promises of employment, education or romantic relationships. This creates a new challenge. Together with NGOs, businesses and government authorities, the Church is developing effective strategies to prevent trafficking, with the main aim of rescuing victims. Many religious institutions have opened rehabilitation centres and reintegration services for survivors, as well as child-protection shelters to keep rescued children safe.
My personal reflection on human trafficking
I am personally aware of the gravity of this problem. As a teacher and guidance counsellor, I dealt with several cases and tried to help the victims through individual counselling. I made use of every opportunity to educate children, young people, parents and teachers to recognise the ways in which innocent women and men are trapped by traffickers. This was done through organised guidance programmes, sex-education classes and similar initiatives, always emphasising the sacredness of body and mind. They came to understand that the best weapon against trafficking is to become spiritually strong — and, above all, to be able to say "No" to such abuses.
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