ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CALGARY
  • Renewal
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • MASS TIMES
  • Jubilee 2025

Human Trafficking Education for Prevention

12/15/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo credit: Fly_YYC (YYC International Airport) Instagram
If you’ve visited Calgary International Airport recently, you may have noticed many new signs about human trafficking, like the one below.

You might be wondering why these and other signs are suddenly appearing—not just in Calgary, but in airports across Canada. They are part of a nationwide awareness and prevention campaign aimed at ending modern slavery. Indeed, human trafficking, the act of recruiting, transporting, or holding victims, often to coerce them into providing manual labour or sexual services, is tragically on the rise.
Picture
​The Global Slavery Index estimates that at any given time, there are 17,000 people affected by human trafficking in Canada. And yet The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking has estimated that although a high percentage of Canadians is aware that human trafficking is a significant issue in Canada, most Canadians don’t feel that they can recognize the signs of human trafficking, nor do they believe that Canadian citizens are among its victims.

This is where organizations such as The Centre, and many other such organizations come in. HTEP is one such organization, with a specific focus to address human trafficking education in Southern Alberta. HTEP (Human Trafficking Education for Prevention) was created in Calgary in 2023 by a small group of Catholics (religious and laity) who shared a concern about troubling statistics indicating that a disproportionate number of marginalized individuals are being targeted for human trafficking in Southern Alberta.

As members of the Diocese of Calgary, we believe that supporting anti-trafficking efforts is a meaningful way for the faithful to contribute to both Diocesan Renewal and personal growth in union with Christ, who spent His earthly life ministering to the poor and marginalized.

While there are many groups and agencies fighting various aspects of human trafficking, HTEP decided to focus its efforts on the front end: an awareness campaign that can help prevent targets from becoming victims. HTEP believes that a community that knows the signs of human trafficking and understands the many ways traffickers operate is in a better position to protect its most vulnerable from becoming victims.
​
By working with small regional groups and churches, school communities and educators, and local organizations, we can raise awareness, inform, and support grassroots community efforts right here in our own backyard. We also provide workshop study guides, pamphlets, and other resources that groups can use freely. As we continue to grow, we hope to offer more in-person workshops within Southern Alberta and other interactive sessions, allowing us to tailor these sessions to individual needs and demographics. To learn more about or join any aspect of the fight against human trafficking, please check out our brand-new website at htep.ca. Website content suggestions are welcome!

Finally, please join us in a prayer of intercession to St. Josephine Bakhita, the patron saint of victims of human trafficking:
O St. Bakhita, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery; Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Those who are enslaved, let God set free. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and let them look to you as an example of hope and faith."
Submitted by Human Trafficking Education for Prevention (HTEP) team. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Catholic Pastoral Centre Staff and Guest Writers

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018

    Categories

    All
    Advent & Christmas
    Art
    Bereavement
    Bishop Emeritus Henry
    Bishop McGrattan
    Book Review
    Care For Creation
    Catechetics
    Catholic Charities & Development
    Catholic Education
    Catholic Pastoral Centre
    Catholic Schools
    CCCB
    Children
    Christian Unity
    Climate Change
    Communications
    Consecrated Life
    Consecrated Virgin
    Conversion
    Covid 19
    Culture
    CWL
    Development & Peace
    Devotions
    Diocesan Event
    Disci
    Discipleship
    Ecumenical
    Elizabeth House
    Environment
    Euthanasia
    Evangelization
    Faithful Living
    Faithfully
    Family
    Feed The Hungry
    From The Bishop's Office
    Fundraising
    Funeral
    Grieving
    Health
    Health Care
    Homelessness
    Hospitality
    Indigenous
    In Memoriam
    Interfaith
    Jubilarians
    Jubilee
    Jubilee 2025
    Lay Associations
    Lent
    Lent & Easter
    Liturgy
    Marian
    Marriage
    Mary
    Mass
    Men's Ministry
    Mental Health
    Migrants
    Miscarriage
    Mission Mexico
    Movie Review
    Music
    One Rock
    Online Formation
    Ordination
    Palliative Care
    Parenting
    Parish Life
    Pastoral Care
    Pastoral Renewal
    Pastoral Visit
    Permanent Diaconate
    Pope
    Pope Francis
    Prayer
    Pray For Peace
    Priesthood
    Prolife
    RCIA
    Reconciliation
    Refugee
    Religious Education
    Religious Freedom
    Religious Life
    Resources And Guidelines
    Sacred Art
    Safe Environment
    Saints
    Scripture & Reflection
    Seminarians
    Seniors
    SFXC
    Social Justice
    Stewardship
    St. Joseph
    St. Mary's University
    Synod
    Vatican
    Vocation
    You Are Called
    You Belong
    You Matter
    Youth And Young Adults
    Youth Ministry

    RSS Feed

GET TO KNOW US
Our Bishop
Offices & Ministries
​Our Staff
Read our Blog
Catholic Community
​Lay Associations
CONNECT WITH US
If You Choose To Talk About it
​
Contact us
​Careers
​Parish Boundaries
​Mass Times

Volunteer Screening
NEED INFO ON
Becoming Catholic
Marriage Preparation
​Vocations
Annulment 
Sacraments Prep
Catholic Funeral
GIVE TO
Diocesan Ministries
Together in Action
Feed the Hungry
Elizabeth House
Your Parish Church​ 
​Other Ministry
REPORT ABUSE

Catholic Pastoral Centre  | 120 - 17th Ave SW, Calgary, AB  T2S 2T2 | ​Phone: 403-218-5500 | [email protected]
Charitable Number: 
10790-9939-RR0076​. Donate Now.
Photo from aronbaker2
  • Renewal
  • Blog
  • About
  • Give
  • News & Events
  • Ministries
  • Contact Us
  • MASS TIMES
  • Jubilee 2025