The Catholic Church recently observed the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.

“The bishops of the United States join with the Universal Church in praying for those impacted by the sin of human trafficking, which our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has described as ‘an open wound in the body of Christ, in the body of all humanity,’” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, said in a recent USCCB release. “Let each of us, as witnesses to the Gospel of life, grow in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are exploited in this way and inspired by the life of St. Josephine Bakhita, accompany them in the pursuit of justice.”

The International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking is a significant event observed by the Catholic Church every Feb. 8, the release said. The day is dedicated to bringing attention to the ongoing problem of human trafficking and the need for individuals, communities and nations to take action against the crime. 

The chosen topic for this year was "Journeying in Dignity," which called on the faithful to identify the processes that lead to exploitation, learn about the daily journeys of those seeking freedom and dignity, encourage anti-trafficking initiatives, and create a culture of encounter; the USCCB said.

This year, the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking fell on the same day as the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita. Bakhita was a Sudanese woman who was kidnapped from her home at the age of 7 in 1876 and subjected to the horrors of slavery, a Catholic News Agency (CNA) report said. She was trafficked to Italy where she eventually gained her freedom and joined the Canossian Daughters of Charity. Bakhita was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1992, and she was made the patron saint of human trafficking survivors in October 2000. 

Pope Francis has designated February as a month of prayer for women who have been victims of violence, particularly victims of human trafficking, the CNA report said. The International Labor Organization reported that human trafficking is a $150 billion industry that exploits 25 million people globally. 

To mark the day this year, the USCCB asked people to pray for the victims and survivors of human trafficking, as well as for an end to the exploitation and abuse they endure. Individuals were also encouraged to educate themselves about human trafficking and to take action by supporting anti-trafficking organizations, reporting suspected trafficking instances to authorities, and campaigning for tougher laws and policies to prevent human trafficking.