Rome: As the Catholic Church observes the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Trafficking in Persons on February 8, Sr Abby Avelino, International Coordinator of the global anti-trafficking network Talitha Kum, has called for renewed commitment to defending human dignity, stressing that true peace is impossible without it.
Human trafficking, she said, remains one of the most pervasive yet hidden forms of violence worldwide. Affecting millions across continents, it continues to evolve quietly shaped by digital technology, irregular migration, economic inequality and conflict often escaping public attention. The annual World Day seeks to expose this largely invisible crime and mobilise faith communities, institutions and individuals to act.
This yearās observance was marked by a week-long series of events in Rome from February 4 to 8, bringing together prayer initiatives, discussions and public actions under the theme āPeace begins with dignity.ā The programme was supported by a wide coalition of Church-based and civil organizationās, including Talitha Kum, which has become one of the most influential global networks combating human trafficking.
Speaking to Vatican News, Sr Abby reflected on how trafficking patterns are changing and why prevention has become more urgent than ever. A member of the Maryknoll Sisters, she was born in the Philippines and later grew up in the United States after her family migrated. Living between cultures, she said, shaped her sensitivity to the realities faced by migrants and refugees.
Her involvement in anti-trafficking work began during her missionary years in Japan, where she accompanied migrants many of them women and children who had been exploited. Through listening to their stories, she came to understand how closely migration and trafficking are intertwined. That journey eventually led her to Talitha Kum, a network now active in more than 100 countries. While awareness of trafficking has grown, she warned that the crime itself is expanding. Many cases remain hidden, and official figures capture only a fraction of the real scale.
Sr Abby noted that traffickers today no longer target only the poorest or least educated. Increasingly, young people who are well educated and multilingual are being lured through professional-looking online job offers. Fake contracts, visas and detailed requirements create the illusion of legitimacy. Recruitment is especially common in parts of Asia and Africa, including the Philippines.
A growing and disturbing trend, she explained, is the trafficking of victims into forced online scamming operations. Many are promised legal work in countries such as Thailand but instead find themselves trapped in guarded compounds in border regions of Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand. Once inside, escape becomes nearly impossible. Victims are forced to work to repay recruitment and transport costs, trained to meet quotas and punished if they fail. Sr Abby described this as organized crime and a modern form of slavery.
Rescue operations, however, are extremely challenging, particularly in conflict zones where access is limited. Often, help can only be provided once victims manage to flee and reach border areas. For this reason, Talitha Kum places strong emphasis on prevention. Education, awareness and safe migration guidance are central to its mission. Migration, Sr Abby stressed, is a human right but people must be informed of their rights and the risks they face.
She recalled how a simple verification request from a priest regarding a job offer for a relative helped uncover a fake company, preventing a potentially dangerous situation. Such early interventions, she said, can save lives.
Many victims do not initially realise they are being trafficked, she added. Often, those exploiting them are relatives, acquaintances or people they trust. In some cases, victims are even coerced into recruiting others. This lack of awareness makes prevention and education even more critical.
The trauma left by trafficking is deep and long-lasting. Survivors often struggle with shattered dignity, fear and insecurity. Healing requires long-term accompaniment, psychological support and access to stable employment. Without economic security, Sr Abby warned, survivors remain at risk of re-exploitation. Yet many survivors still choose to speak publicly about their experiences, hoping to protect others especially young people from similar suffering.
Talitha Kum therefore prioritises education at all levels. Sisters work in schools, parishes and local communities, beginning even with children. Young people, Sr Abby said, are among the most vulnerable to trafficking but also among the strongest agents of prevention when properly informed.
Addressing current global debates on migration and increasingly restrictive policies, Sr Abby urged governments to remember that migration is not merely a political issue but a deeply human one. Policies based on exclusion and punishment, she said, only increase vulnerability and fail to address the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty, conflict, climate disasters and forced displacement.
Summing up the message of this yearās World Day, Sr Abby said the link between dignity and peace is inseparable. When dignity is denied, peace cannot endure. People do not leave their homes without reason, she noted, and when they are forced to move, traffickers are always ready to exploit their desperation.
Talitha Kumās work, she explained, goes beyond rescue and awareness to include advocacy and international collaboration. Operating locally while remaining globally connected, the network shares information and responds across borders.
āThis fight cannot be won by one organization alone,ā Sr Abby said. āIt demands shared responsibility and solidarity from governments, institutions, communities and individuals alike. Only then can dignity be protected, and only then can peace truly begin.ā