At a conference organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, a delegation from the Holy See called for coordinated international action against human trafficking.
“The principle of non-punishment should be upheld to ensure that victims are not unjustly punished or prosecuted for acts they may have committed as a direct consequence of being trafficked,” the delegation stated.
“Migration and security policies must be reoriented through a protection-centered lens,” the delegation added. “Experience demonstrates that when trafficking cases are addressed primarily through the lens of migration control, victims are less likely to be identified and more likely to be detained or deported.”