Bishop Wenski - Statements

Statement of Most Reverend Thomas Wenski
Bishop of Orlando
Chairman, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Trafficking in Human Persons

June 9, 2004

I am pleased to be here today to join with Department of Justice officials to announce the launching of an anti-trafficking initiative here in Central Florida.

As chairman of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Committee on Migration, I speak on behalf of the U.S. Catholic bishops on this important human rights issue.

From the Catholic perspective, human trafficking represents a scourge on the earth which must be eradicated. It is indeed troubling that in the twenty-first century human beings are being sold into bondage as prostitutes, domestic workers, child laborers, and child soldiers.

This is not a problem which exists on far away shores and in less developed lands. It exists right here in the United States and right here in Florida. We are told that tens of thousands of women, children, and men are trafficked each year into our country for purposes of forced prostitution or forced labor.

Thankfully, President Bush and the Congress have worked together to enact comprehensive legislation in 2000 and 2003 to provide our enforcement and social service officials the tools to combat this horrific crime. We join with our elected and government officials in efforts to root out traffickers and to provide care and protection to trafficking victims, especially vulnerable women and children.

The primary challenge before us is to raise public and community awareness of this growing problem. Increasing awareness will help law enforcement officials and service providers in identifying perpetrators as well as victims, so that trafficking networks are broken and victims are given the care they deserve.

The Church in the United States is working to create awareness and provide service to victims. Through our Migration and Refugee Services office in Washington, we are performing educational outreach and providing social services to child victims of trafficking. We also have launched the Catholic Coalition Against Trafficking, which includes over 20 Catholic organizations, to help spread information on trafficking throughout the Catholic community.

The Catholic Church in Florida and in the United States stands ready to work with our government to end this scourge. We cannot rest until trafficking in human persons is eliminated from the globe.

I thank you for allowing me to speak here today.