Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops (CCCB) release
[Ottawa] – On Nov. 22, 2021, the CCCB Commission for Justice and Peace released a Pastoral Letter entitled For Freedom Christ has Set us Free: Pastoral Letter on Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation in Canada.
The letter draws attention to the inherently exploitative and abusive nature of the purchase of sex and insists that in order to protect the vulnerable, this practice must continue to be criminalized.
“Treating sex as ‘work’ masks the physical, psychological and sexual violence inflicted on the prostituted person. Prostitution involves selling something that by its nature cannot be bought or sold and is therefore inherently exploitative,” states the letter.
The pastoral letter begins with an introduction and definition, noting that the “trafficking of human beings is an extremely lucrative crime” that continues to operate “with impunity.”
The International Labor Organization estimates that globally there are 4.8 million people trapped in forced sexual exploitation, notes the new document.
To define human trafficking, the CCCB pastoral letter points to the Palermo Protocol, adopted and ratified by the Canadian government n 2003, which describes three components in the trafficking of human beings – act, means and purpose:
- ACT: Recruitment, transport, harbouring, receipt of a person
- MEANS: By use of threat, force, coercion, abduction, fraud, or deception
- PURPOSE: To control for exploitation
Human trafficking does not require that a victim cross a national border, the document points out. “In fact, most trafficking in Canada is domestic; the persons being trafficked are primarily Canadians.“
Although there are various types of human trafficking, the pastoral message focuses on the trafficking of human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation (prostitution), addressing the issue “from the perspective of the Social Teaching of the Catholic Church, as well as our current Canadian law, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA).”
Canadian Human Trafficking 24/7 HOTLINE – If you suspect someone is being sexually trafficked or exploited, please call 1-833-900-1010 or visit LINK
“Some people today want to treat prostitution as ‘work.’ However, many of its victims have no meaningful choice in it,” states the document. “Prostitution is not consensual sexual activity. It relies on the lie that one can be entitled to the body of another person and it fosters the idea that human beings — usually, but not always, women — are sexual commodities whose consent can be purchased. The prostituted person complies with the buyer’s demand not for sexual gratification but because they need the money. Compliance is not consent.”
Citing failures in other countries where legalization of prostitution has been introduced, the pastoral letter states that legalization “only serves to increase demand by promoting and normalizing the social acceptance of sexual exploitation.”
On the other hand, the legal model adopted in Canada – The Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA,) – decriminalizes all those who are prostituted, provides funding for support services to help them exit and makes buying sex from anyone a criminal offence. “The Act criminalizes those who purchase sex, while decriminalizing those who sell, holding the buyers accountable for their criminal behaviour,” summarizes the letter. “This law is a positive step forward and an example to other countries of how both to protect the victims and to hold the buyers accountable. It puts the focus on the demand for paid sex, which is the underlying cause of trafficking…. This law, sometimes referred to as the Nordic or Equality model, is the way forward.”
At the same time, more consistent enforcement is needed everywhere in Canada, according to the CCCB document, which details many of the reasons why it is so difficult for victims to escape from human trafficking.
The letter concludes by pointing to the call to “follow the example of Jesus Christ who showed compassion to all, especially those suffering, the marginalized, those on the edges of society and those who conceal their needs through shame.”
“In his message for the 2015 World Day of Peace, Pope Francis stated: ‘we are facing a global phenomenon that exceeds the competence of any one community or country, and therefore we need a mobilization comparable in size to that of the phenomenon itself.’ He calls us as Catholics ‘to open our eyes, to the misery of those who are completely deprived of their dignity and their freedom and to hear their cry for help.’ Let’s help them stop by ensuring that our law is enforced consistently across Canada. Buying sex in Canada is and should remain a crime. It is only by stopping the buying that this injustice will end. We therefore call upon governments at all levels, as well as law enforcement bodies, to ensure that the law is upheld in order to halt the continued violations of human dignity in our country.”
PRAY TO END SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Almighty and merciful Father,
help us to see the face of your Son in all those suffering from sexual exploitation and human trafficking in our world today. May your Holy Spirit strengthen the broken hearted and fill them with your love while changing the hearts of the exploiters.Grant us the courage to respond in solidarity with those who suffer and the wisdom to advocate for justice. Guide our civil leaders to work for the common good and to protect the vulnerable.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Mary, Mother of all the living, we implore your intercession for graces of healing for those who are exploited and conversion for the perpetrators, that all may live the abundant life of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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