Human Trafficking a Reality in NZ Waters

Concerned Religious Hold Public Forum

Photo courtesy of NZ Catholic

Catholic Religious Against Human Trafficking is a relatively newly-formed group with members from several religious orders, including the Dominican sisters, the Society of Mary sisters, the Sacred Heart sisters, the Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary, the Josephite sisters, and the Franciscan friars.  They recently hosted a forum in the crypt of St Benedict’s Church in Auckland.  Keynote speakers at the forum were  Dr Christina Stringer, senior lecturer at the University of auckland’s Department of Management and International Business and her co-researcher Glenn Simmons.  Through their research and the interviews they have conducted with Indonesian crew members they have concluded that many Indonesian crew on Korean chartered fishing vessels in New Zealand waters are victims of human trafficking for forced labour.  To download a forum report which appeared in NZ Catholic click here.