ACRATH Congratulates Journalists

ACRATH has wrtten to the editor of The Age affirming the journalists who have highlighted the existence of a human trafficking ring in Australia.

The Letters Editor
The Age

Dear Madam/ Sir

Re: Nick McKenzie and co articles on human trafficking

ACRATH congratulates Nick McKenzie and his fellow journalists on their recent significant reporting of the dangerous face of human trafficking into Australia. Their reporting underlines the need for government action.

The material laid out so effectively by the journalist team is not surprising to civil society groups like ACRATH, working to stop human trafficking in Australia. Since 2005 when a woman in Australia was charged in Melbourne and eventually convicted for possessing a slave, civil society groups have worked together to raise awareness, to toughen laws and regulations, and to support the victims and survivors. Civil society groups face the challenges of worker exploitation in the sex industry and on Australian farms and in abattoirs. We are frustrated by the networks of exploiters, be they unprincipled labour hire companies, education providers, migration agents and organised crime syndicates.

ACRATH is supporting about 60 human trafficking victims and survivors and their 45 children in a good neighbour/ Companionship program. We do this without government funding. We know from our 14 year experience in providing Companionship, that healing from human trafficking and worker exploitation is not easy, nor is it quick. Prevention is clearly the better option.

And prevention must primarily be government’s role when addressing human trafficking outside our borders. Whether it is the exploitation of garment workers in Bangladesh, the illegal recruitment of workers into rubber glove factories in Malaysia, or more recently the human trafficking of workers into the building of World Cup facilities in Qatar, Australians may be the unwitting end users and beneficiaries of human trafficking.

Globally we are so well connected. As global citizens each one of us needs to take action: learn more, talk to others, be discerning consumers …

Peace
Christine Carolan
EO ACRATH – Australian Catholic Religious Against the Trafficking of Humans
acrath.org.au
0427 302 755

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