The man responsible for spearheading the UK’s fight against modern slavery has praised the Church’s response to the scourge ahead of a major international conference at the Vatican.
Kevin Hyland, the UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, told The Tablet that the Church in England and Wales had “shone a light” on trafficking and slavery and its work had exceeded his expectations.
He praised in particular Caritas Bakhita House, an emergency centre for trafficked women under development in Westminster, and an international day of prayer for trafficked people that originated in England.
Mr Hyland, who has worked on serious crime for more than 30 years, said: “Did I ever expect a church-based organisation to be so interested and play a part in bringing perpetrators to justice? I probably didn’t. Has it been effective in that way? Yes, it certainly has.”
Because trafficked people were sometimes allowed to attend Mass, he urged parishes to make resources available, for example by displaying prayer cards with a freephone helpline that are available from the bishops’ conference.
He said that he would present the example of the Church in England and Wales’ response at the forthcoming academic conference, which has been organised by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences – the President is British sociologist Margaret Archer - and is due to take place between 15 and 20 April.
He praised the role of women religious in helping victims of slavery and trafficking, including by accompanying police on operations.
“We’ve had really vulnerable victims going through court cases looked after by women religious who say afterwards they found it so easy because they had a lovely house to go to. Often that would be the first time they’d experienced what is close to family life,” he said.
The freephone helpline is 08007832589
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