Forced migration was highlighted last week as, in Rome, Pope Francis met victims of modern slavery while, in London, unaccompanied child migrants arrived from Calais (see below). The issue is now a priority at all levels in the Church

At the end of the fourth meeting of the Santa Marta Group in Rome last week, two people who have experienced the horrors of human trafficking sat with me on the central platform of the Vatican Press Office.

One was a woman from Nigeria, enslaved as a prostitute in Italy, who was able to escape with the help of a priest working in the northern city of Asti. The other was a young man originally from Sierra Leone, who was deceived by promises of a career as a professional footballer and enslaved in England. He, too, broke free and fulfilled his dream, playing professionally for a time in the Premier League.

Each gave brief accounts of their experiences and of their determination to contribute to the fight against human trafficking. They were inspiring contributors, and listening to their voices is the starting point for our work. The Santa Marta Group brings together representatives of the Church, particularly bishops and Religious sisters, with the leaders of law enforcement agencies who have all given a public commitment to make the fight against trafficking a priority.