Madrid – According to the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration , around 50 million people worldwide are living in conditions of modern slavery, while human trafficking generates an estimated 236 billion dollars in illicit profits every year.
Faced with a form of slavery that continues to evolve and take on new forms of exploitation, Church networks and religious communities are renewing their commitment to prevention, accompaniment and the defense of the dignity of victims of human trafficking.
On the occasion of the World Day Against Human Trafficking, celebrated today, July 30, Church networks recall that behind this phenomenon lie the stories of people marked by poverty, violence, lack of opportunities and situations of extreme vulnerability. Children, women, migrants and displaced persons continue to be targeted by criminal organizations, which use deception, fraudulent job offers, threats and new digital tools to recruit their victims.
According to the Global Report on Trafficking 2024, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime , children now account for 38 percent of identified trafficking victims worldwide, compared with 20 percent two decades ago. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of identified victims increased by 25 percent, with particularly sharp growth among boys and girls.
Among the contexts where vulnerability is increasing is the “Tapón del Darién”, the dense rainforest region between Colombia and Panama that has become one of the main migration routes in the Americas. Along this route, thousands of people exposed to violence, lack of resources, and lack of protection become easy targets for trafficking and exploitation networks.
Talitha Kum: A Church network present wherever vulnerability exists
One of the Church initiatives working in these contexts is Talitha Kum, the network promoted by the International Union of Superiors General , which brings together women religious, collaborators and local organizations across the continents to prevent trafficking, accompany victims and support survivors.
In 2025, Talitha Kum operated through 68 national networks in 113 countries. Its mission was carried out by 6,387 women religious and collaborators, a 5.7 percent increase compared to the previous year, with the participation of 882 female religious congregations and 100 male congregations.
In Latin America and the Caribbean—a region facing structural challenges such as poverty, violence, organized crime, climate change and forced migration—Talitha Kum coordinates 14 national networks, working alongside women religious, young leaders and lay collaborators in prevention initiatives and in accompanying the most vulnerable.
In 2025, representatives from twelve of these networks took part in the First Regional Talitha Kum Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, strengthening cooperation and the exchange of experiences in responding to new forms of trafficking.
“Latin America and the Caribbean face complex challenges that increase the vulnerability of many people, yet we also recognize with hope the resilience and commitment present throughout the region,” said Ana María Vilca Mamani, SNJM, Talitha Kum’s Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. She stressed the importance of walking “in network and in synodality,” strengthening integrated responses that combine prevention, protection, advocacy and accompaniment in order to promote the freedom, justice and dignity of every person.
The scope of this mission is reflected in a significant figure: in 2025, initiatives promoted by the network reached 121 million people through awareness campaigns, education, prevention programs and accompaniment.
Talitha Kum’s international Coordinator, Sister Abby Avelino, MM, highlighted the evolving nature of the phenomenon. “Human trafficking continues to change, taking on increasingly complex forms,” she said. Among the emerging challenges, she pointed to the spread of organized online scams that lure young people with false job offers before forcing them, through violence and intimidation, into participating in criminal activities.
“Wars and conflicts, forced displacement, climate crises and growing inequalities continue to expose millions of people to trafficking because criminal networks exploit fear, vulnerability and desperation,” she added.
For Talitha Kum, the response must begin before exploitation occurs by strengthening prevention and accompanying people precisely where situations of risk first emerge. “Migration is a human right, but people must know their rights and understand the risks involved,” Sister Avelino emphasized.
Spain: A bridge between Latin America and Europe in the fight against trafficking
Because of its historical, cultural and linguistic ties with Latin America, Spain has become a destination, transit point and place of accompaniment for many people arriving from the American continent. The connection between the two sides of the Atlantic illustrates how trafficking is a transnational phenomenon requiring coordinated responses.
According to figures released by Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, 1,869 victims of trafficking and sexual or labor exploitation—including 28 minors—received assistance in Spain during 2025. The data also point to an increase in cases linked to labor exploitation. Colombia continues to be among the principal countries of origin of identified victims.
Alongside public institutions, numerous Church and civil society organizations are working to prevent trafficking and accompany survivors. In Madrid, for example, the Fundación Madrina has drawn attention to the particular vulnerability of mothers and children in migration contexts and to the link between child poverty and the risk of exploitation. According to Spain’s Platform for Children, 33.2 percent of minors in the country are at risk of poverty or social exclusion.
Church networks stress that combating trafficking cannot be limited to rescuing victims after exploitation has occurred. It must begin with prevention, information, hospitality and the creation of pathways for recovery and reintegration. From Latin America to Europe, women religious, Christian communities and lay collaborators continue to accompany vulnerable people, defending the dignity of every human being and building networks of protection against new forms of slavery.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in Talitha Kum for their dedication and passion in seeking justice for those trapped in situations of exploitation,” said Sister Oonah O’Shea, President of the International Union of Superiors General , encouraging religious congregations to continue supporting this ministry and to deepen their commitment to the fight against human trafficking. “Together we continue to build a world free from human trafficking, where every person can live in freedom and dignity.”
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