Human Trafficking: A Global Issue with Local Impacts

The International Labour Office estimates that there are approximately 25 million men, women, and children subjected to labor or sex trafficking worldwide. It is important to understand how to prevent and recognize incidents of human trafficking within your own community.  USCCB/MRS strives to fulfill the Church’s commitment to combat human trafficking and fight for a fair way of life for all through outreach and engagement programs. These initiatives rely on community and faith leaders like you to join the movement in defending the inherent right of every human being to freedom, justice, and protection.

What is SHEPHERD?

Stop Human Trafficking and Exploitation. Protect, Help, Empower, and Restore Dignity (SHEPHERD) educates lay and religious leaders about human trafficking from a Catholic perspective, equipping them with needed knowledge and skills to combat forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation at the local level. If you are from a parish, diocese, school, or community group and want to respond to the Church’s call for heightened commitment against modern-day slavery, then SHEPHERD is for you.

BECOME A SHEPHERD ACTIVITIES & RESOURCES:

Welcome! The guides, presentations, and other resources below were created to educate communities about human trafficking and how to respond to what Pope Francis describes as a “wound against contemporary society”. The resources contain an array of materials to help you with awareness raising and direct engagement through service and advocacy. The units were designed to be studied in sequence, as they begin with general information and expand to more elaborate lessons/tasks. However, you are free to use the units and download material in the order that is most helpful for your parish or community.

Awareness Raising

As a responsible member of your community, you are called to be aware of your surroundings and report any behavior that is suspicious or alarming. To do this, you and your community must first understand what signs to look out for. This unit provides a guide for leaders to help them with planning and presenting their informational sessions. Presentations for adults and high school students are available for different types of audiences. The information provided in this unit is typically the first step in educating a community about the reality and misconceptions of human trafficking.

From Awareness Raising to Action: Engagement Activities

Learn different ways your community and/or parish can responsibly address human trafficking today. The activities provided in this unit vary and can be tailored to your local reality. These easy to adapt engagement and outreach ideas on how to responsibly address human trafficking in your community will empower you and your group to make a real difference.

Downloadable Materials for Distribution

This section offers an array of materials to use throughout the year and at different events. Lessons, handbooks, and films are also provided for analysis on a deeper level, if desired.

Peer to Peer Support

Are you planning to launch or enhance local efforts to combat human trafficking and interested in receiving peer support? These resources will help you learn from and exchange ideas with parishes and groups around the country involved with anti-trafficking ministries.

Anti-Trafficking Newsletter Archive

Read all about the most recent updates the USCCB/MRS team has offered in the fight against human trafficking and stay informed with educational webinars and podcasts. Sign-up today!

We want to hear from you!  Please email MRSShepherd@usccb.org to tell us about your anti-trafficking initiatives, to ask questions, or to inquire about additional materials to help support your work.

The Become a SHEPHERD Program is supported by the Anti-Trafficking Program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).