SW News: The Latin American country of Brazil is witnessing a surge in human trafficking, and the Catholic Church is raising awareness among those vulnerable to the same. Comparing the fight to that between David and Goliath, activists say there is a link between the deforestation in the Amazon region.

According to Graziella Rocha, Project Coordinator at the Brazilian Association for the Defense of Women, Children, and Youth (ASBRAD), an NGO that fights against human trafficking, "People employed in illegal logging and mining are most of the times suffering labor exploitation."

Criticizing the government authorities for neglecting this issue for the past few years, Rocha added, "public policies have been dismantled, which is certainly contributing to increasing the problem." In addition, the activists deplore how the companies involved in deforestation exploit the young girls and boys from the indigenous villages.

Sister Roselei Bertoldo, a member of "A Cry for Life," a Catholic movement that works to prevent human trafficking, said that the number of victims has shot up during the pandemic. But, she added, "People are unemployed and suffering from extreme poverty. The enticers take advantage of that situation, promising jobs or educational opportunities to them."

She further decried how the immigrants are being exploited. For example, human traffickers have used false promises of employment or educational opportunities in the southern part of the country to entice immigrants from Venezuela, particularly women. According to Bertoldo, the Brazilian Church has increased its commitment to the fight against human trafficking. The Bishops' Conference established a special committee in 2016 to address this issue, and numerous meetings have since been held to increase Catholic solidarity for victims.

The Church workers educate those at risk about the many types of slavery and how to report it. They are also educating local authorities and speaking to schoolchildren about it. Despite the Bolsonaro administration's lack of funds for government organizations that work to end slavery in the nation, 1,821 rural bonded laborers were reportedly saved since January.

The activists are hopeful that, with the victory of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the government will begin the anti-human trafficking initiatives that Bolsonaro had put on hold.