Pope Leo denounces human trafficking as a ‘crime against humanity’

Pope Leo XIV has denounced human trafficking as a grave crime against humanity and renewed the Catholic Church’s commitment to confronting and eradicating what he described as a modern form of slavery.

In a message released ahead of the 12th World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, marked on Sunday, 8 February, the Pope condemned the increasingly disturbing forms of exploitation taking place both offline and in digital spaces.

In his message, Pope Leo renewed the Church’s “urgent call to confront and bring an end to this grave crime against humanity.”

Peace rooted in human dignity

Reflecting on the greeting of the Risen Christ, “Peace be with you,” the Pope said these words offer “a path toward a renewed humanity.”

“True peace begins with the recognition and protection of the God-given dignity of every person,” he said. “Yet, in an age marked by escalating violence, many are tempted to seek peace through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion.”

The Pope lamented that human beings are often treated as collateral damage in times of war, sacrificed for political or economic interests.

He noted that the same disregard for human life fuels human trafficking, as armed conflict and geopolitical instability create opportunities for traffickers to exploit people on the move.

“Within this broken paradigm, women and children are the most impacted by this heinous trade,” he said.

New forms of exploitation

Pope Leo also drew attention to the rise of what he described as “cyber slavery,” in which individuals are lured into online schemes and criminal activities such as drug trafficking and fraud.

“The victim is coerced into assuming the role of perpetrator, exacerbating their spiritual wounds,” he said. “These forms of violence are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a culture that has forgotten how to love as Christ loves.”

Prayer and awareness

In the face of such suffering and social challenges, Pope Leo stressed the importance of prayer and awareness.

Prayer, he said, is the “small flame” that gives strength to resist injustice and indifference, while awareness helps identify and overcome exploitative systems, both within communities and in digital environments.

“Ultimately, the violence of human trafficking can be overcome only through a renewed vision that beholds every individual as a beloved child of God,” he said.

The Pope expressed his gratitude to the many individuals, organizations, and networks committed to assisting victims of human trafficking, including those who are themselves survivors.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo entrusted the World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking to the intercession of St. Josephine Bakhita, whose life, he said, stands “as a powerful witness of hope in the Lord who loved her to the end.”

“Let us all join the journey toward a world where peace is not merely the absence of war, but is ‘unarmed and disarming,’ rooted in full respect for the dignity of all.”

By Vatican News Reporter

Photo Credits : Vatican Media