The Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition Mission Statement:
- The CAAC works to educate individuals, organizations, and businesses on the realities of human trafficking, especially through existing Cabrini Missions, and inspire action that will lead to social change.
The Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition (CAAC) is an anti-human trafficking coalition sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. The Guadalupe Province of the Missionary Sisters has two corporate stances: to support the rights and dignity of all immigrants and to stop human trafficking. This coalition is a result of the latter.
The coalition is made up of both religious and lay people connected to various Cabrini organizations. The Missionary Sisters have various institutions throughout the United States including health care facilities, retreat centers in Denver and Chicago, a high school in New Orleans, immigrant services in New York, and a university in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Our hope is to use our Cabrini resources and networks to reveal the reality of human trafficking and be a resource and initiator of social change.
We have worked tirelessly to educate all of our existing Cabrini missions on human trafficking issues:
- We have engaged various communities with which we collaborate; have organized multiple campaigns to raise awareness;
- We have disseminated the National Human Trafficking Hotline Number
- CAAC has been a persistent spiritual advocate by hosting prayer services and vigils, provided trainings and educational events, partnered with local coalitions in the Philadelphia and New York areas, and have held fundraisers for organizations that provide services for human trafficking victims.
About Human Trafficking
Human trafficking occurs when someone is being exploited through force, fraud, or coercion. In other words, it is modern day slavery. Though slavery is illegal in every country, there are more slaves now than in any other point in history, and there are now twice as many slaves than there were during the entire trans-Atlantic slave trade. There are anywhere from 21-29 million people enslaved today, and there are accounts of human trafficking in almost every country, including the United States. Human trafficking takes on many forms. Most basically it is broken down into two categories: sex trafficking and labor trafficking.
Labor Trafficking
Labor trafficking is a form of modern slavery where a person, through violence, threats, lies, debt bondage, or other forms of coercion, is forced to work against his/her will in a variety of industries. Labor trafficking occurs in almost every business activity, but especially in those where there is a need for cheap labor and lack of oversight. This can include domestic servitude, farm, hotel, and restaurant work.
Sex Trafficking
Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery where a person, through force, fraud, or coercion is forced to engage in commercial sexual exploitation. According to federal law, a person is considered a victim of sex trafficking if he or she is over 18 and force, fraud, or coercion is an element in their participation in the sex industry. If a minor is involved, they are automatically considered a victim. In the United States, the average age of initial entry into forced commercial sexual exploitation is 12-14.
Prayer to end Human Trafficking
O Lord, you said you came: “to set the captives free.”
In our world young men and women who are trafficked are modern day slaves.
Help these young people to not lose hope.
Give the grace for elected officials to grow in awareness of and to take active steps to eradicate this horror.
Teach them not to prosecute the victims of trafficking but to bring to justice those who perpetrate this crime.
Lord, give the grace of conversion to those who mistreat unfortunates for their own personal gain.
May demand decrease as people realize that prostitution is a crime against human dignity, forced upon these people, who are more victim than anything else.
May the awareness of this horrendous crime spread throughout the world and may many join the efforts to
stop trafficking and help the victims begin anew, filled with hope.
We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. ~ Sr. Veronica Piccone, MSC
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- Karol Brewer – 484-581-7161
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