Monday, February 8 End injustice with prayer and action A Catholic sister and former slave, Saint Josephine Bakhita is for many a companion in the fight against human trafficking. Her feast day coincides with the U.S. Bishops’ Day of Prayer for Survivors and Victims of Human Trafficking. In 2013 when this day was inaugurated, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo called upon the church to “lift our voices loudly in prayer, hope, and love for trafficking victims and survivors” and emphasized awareness and action on their behalf. |
Urgent need for items for victims of trafficking
Dear Cabrini Friends,
We just received an emergency call from a Victim Assistance Specialist with Homeland Security. She is working with 4 young men from Honduras who are the victims of child sex tourism.
She said, “Because of their cooperation and victimization, they are eligible to move to the US, which they will be doing immediately following sentencing of the perpetrator. I am trying to get things in place for their arrival next week (for trial) and want to ease the transition and have been having a very tough time. I’m hoping you can help… Some of the things I am looking for are:
- Warm clothing to include hats, gloves, pants, shirts, boots, etc. (the boys only have very minimal clothes suitable for a warm weather climate like Honduras).
- The boys are in their early/mid 20’s and they are all on the smaller side. All wear a size Small for shirts/jackets and here are the rest of the sizes:
Victim 1—Pants- 30×32, Shoe size 8
Victim 2 – Pants- 32×30, Shoe size 7 ½ or 8
Victim 3 – Pants- 30×30 or 30×32, shoe size 9
Victim 4 – Pants- 28 or 29×30, shoe size 7 ½
- Furniture
- Miscellaneous items such as dishes, sheets, towels, mattresses, food,
- toiletries, etc.
- Gift cards to stores such as Walmart, Target, food stores: Giant, Acme
Please let me know if you can help in any way.
Many blessings,
Karol Brewer
Cabrini Action & Advocacy Coalition cabriniformation@aol.co
Cabrini College students speaking truth to power
18 Cabrini College students made 38 lobby visits Friday on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world who are refugees fleeing war, experiencing climate change, or hoping to live a fully human life. So proud of these students, as well as several hundred Cabrini students in prior years, who have risen to the challenge to master difficult material, negotiate political differences, discover their core values, overcome nervousness, in order to speak truth to power.
Well done! Wanda Hernandez, Cabrini Mission Corps Rachel Recolcolin, Julia Alexis, Sarah Davis, Cabrini Missioner Morgan Perry, CRS Ambassador Casey Semenza, Cabrini Missioner Vanessa Miranda, Katie Montella, Cristabel Ruiz, Mike Burrell, Jordan Floyd, Alissa Oliveras, Kiley Sharp, Jerome Bailey, Steve Halko, Leonard Brock, Amina Etienne, Kalle Blindenbacher
They spoke with aides to Senator Pat Toomey, Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr.,Congressman Joe Pitts, Congressman Robert Brady, Congressman Chaka Fattah, Congressman Patrick Meehan, and Congressman Brendan Boyle
Supporting the work of Catholic Relief Services and CRS University, they delivered 400 letters supporting CRS’s #IAmClimateChange campaign and the Green Climate Fund. They spoke in support of $1 billion in additional funding for Syrian refugees, as well as to maintain or increase poverty-focused development assistance.
Beginning in 2008, students each semester have traveled to our nation’s Capitol to meet with our elected representatives in conjunction with Catholic Relief Services and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to “Confront Global Poverty.” This year, Pope Francis has placed special attention on Caring for Our Common Home and climate change, and these students responded by discussing climate change with congress during the very weeks leaders from around the world are meeting in Paris to come to an historic agreement.
Similarly, in this contentious time, these students also bravely spoke about Syrian refugees and our duty to protect refugees seeking safety.
These students truly continue the work of St. Frances Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants, after whom Cabrini College is named. #JusticeMatters
More photos at https://www.flickr.com/ph
Advocacy Day – Anti Human Trafficking
The Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition joined with advocates from all over Pennsylvania at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg on Tuesday, June 9th, to visit legislators to discuss Senator Greenleaf and Senator Leach’s upcoming Safe Harbor Bill to protect minors who have been trafficked.
What does Safe Harbor do?
S.B. 851 would require law enforcement to report to the Department of Human Services any encounter with a minor who has been subject to sexual exploitation. The Department will develop and implement a state-wide protocol to deliver safe long-term housing, education, life-skills training, and counseling to the children who have been exploited. The bill would require that police be trained to identify and assist sexually exploited children. Most importantly, the bill would require that sexually exploited children be diverted from the criminal justice system to more appropriate human services.
Senator Daylin Leach (shown at podium) said, “There is no such thing as a child prostitute. There are only victims and survivors of child rape. S.B. 851 would establish a non-punitive response for juvenile sex-trafficking victims, and provide them with support to address their trauma and specialized services, which would be partially funded through enhanced penalties for traffickers, facilitators, and patrons of prostitution wherein the victim was a minor. Juveniles involved in sex-trafficking are already considered crime victims under international and federal law. Pennsylvania must advance anti-human trafficking reforms such as this legislation to protect these innocent children.”
New Cabrini Closet to Open in NYC
The Cabrini Closet, NYC is now open
The Cabrini Closet, NYC is Now Accepting Donations
Thanks to the hard work of the boys from St. Raymond’s High School, the Cabrini Closet NYC is now able to accept donations! CMC Missioner Melanie will be in the Cabrini Closet this Friday, May 1st from 2-6 pm to accept fashionable clothing, accessories, and gift cards. If you’re in the area, please feel free to stop by and get an advance look at this wonderful new ministry for survivors of human trafficking!
If you wish to make a donation but cannot make this date and time, please contact Melanie at 732-322-2956 or CabriniAandA@aol.com to schedule another time.
Cabrini Closet, NYC, 220 E 19th St, Lower Level, New York, NY 10003
Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition Focuses on Human Exploitation
Human Exploitation: Ending the Demand
Learn about the connection between the demand for pornography and human trafficking.
Attend this insightful workshop at Cabrini College in Radnor, PA.
Saturday, April 11th 2:00 – 4:30 pm
Widener Lecture Hall
Featured speakers:
Dr. Mary Ane Layden and James Tarring Cordrey
For more information, please contact: brvheart@blueroutevineyard.com
Under Construction: A New Cabrini Closet
Last week, the CAAC in partnership with LifeWay Network and St. Raymond’s High School for Boys began construction of the Cabrini Closet, NYC. The boys receive training on human trafficking and then they performed the service of transforming an open space into a beautiful boutique. In total, approximately 84 boys will participate in this program. The closet will provide fashionable young women’s clothing to those who very often have nothing after leaving their trafficked situation. After three sessions, the closet is on schedule to be open early May in the Grammercy Park area of Manhattan. More information on the location of the closet will be forthcoming in the near future.
This closet will certainly be a beautiful ministry, which will provide a much-needed service to those who are beginning a new life of freedom.
Any member of the Cabrinian Community who is interested in volunteering to help at the closet is invited to contact Melanie Paccillo at CabriniAandA@aol.com or Karol Brewer at cabriniformation@aol.com
Information for anyone wishing to donate clothing or gift cards will follow in the future Weekly Updates. We expect to be able to accept donations by May 1st.
CAAC attends Commission on Status of Women
Every year the United Nations hosts the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), a two-week long event where people from around the world gather to discuss issues that impact women. This year, CMC Missioner and Cabrini Action and Advocacy Coalition representative Melanie Paccillo attended several auxiliary events relating to human trafficking.
One of these events discussed the issue of prostitution on an international level. On this panel were Rachel Moran, founding member of Survivors of Prostitution-Abuse Calling for Enlightenment,; Vendita Carter, founder and executive director of Breaking Free; Ingelborg Kraus, PhD, a German psychologist and trauma expert who founded a website discussing the link between prostitution and trauma; and Melissa Farley, Ph.D., founder and director of Prostitution Research and Education. Moderating the panel was Taina Bien-Aime, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. There was discussion on the Nordic Model, which decriminalizes the selling of, but criminalizes the purchasing of sex. Thus, this law targets the demand. Doctor Kraus furthered the discussion by outlining the devastating impacts the legalization of prostitution has had in Germany. She noted that, with prostitution legalized, there are no support or healing services for those who have been exploited. Rachel Moran noted that the Nordic Model has been, “the only reasonable strategy for a millennium.”
When asked what the greatest barrier is to ending prostitution, Rachel Moran stated that it is the status quo. She said, “[you] think you can’t do anything, but everything you say out loud where people can hear you, no, that’s not okay, it’s another piece to this movement.” Dr. Farley added, “Prostitution is to society what incest is to the family.”
CSW is an exciting time, as men and women from all over the world come together to collaborate and find solutions to international problems. The panel discussions were enlightening and inspiring, bringing to mind the words Pope Leo XIII said to our foundress, “to work, Cabrini!”
“Cabrini Closet” Growing in Donations
In recent weeks in the Update we have been featuring a request from CAAC Chairperson Karol Brewer who has been seeking donations of stylish, up-to-date clothing for victims of human trafficking. These young women when they are able to find freedom, often escape, literally with only the clothing they are wearing.
As an integral part of their healing and rehabilitation, they will receive job training. In order to restore a sense of self-esteem and to be able to go on job interviews they need to be appropriately dressed.
An FBI agent shared the pressing need for attractive, up to date clothing. Hence, the “Cabrini Closet” that Karol has spearheaded at The Cottage in Radnor. The need will be on-going. Donations of “like-new” clothing in all sizes, and gift cards to such stores at Forever 21, Target, Marshall’s, TJ Maxx would be greatly appreciated.