Jan. 15 Pray for an end to demand and societal factors that lead to exploitation

Intercessory Prayer

For courage to initiate change in our hypersexualized and consumer-driven culture, to end exploitation of others, we pray to the Lord.

For reflection

• Sex trafficking would simply not be profitable without demand. Sex buyers drive the market for the illegal sex trade. From May 2019 – June 2020, CEASE Texas identified over 1 million unique online advertisements for commercial sex across six Texas cities. We should consider the roles of technology, pornography, sexually oriented businesses, and a hypersexualized culture in facilitating an environment that normalizes exploitation and facilitates demand.
• Labor trafficking is also impacted by demand. The demand for cheap goods and cheap labor can result in worker exploitation and slavery in supply chains. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor identified 155 goods from 77 countries produced by child or forced labor.

Call to action

Stop Human Trafficking and Exploitation. Protect, Help, Empower, and Restore Dignity (SHEPHERD) is a resource which educates lay and religious leaders about human trafficking from a Catholic perspective, equipping them with needed knowledge and skills to combat forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation at the local level.