Corporate Stances

What We Say

Corporate Stance
Against Trafficking of Women and Children

In the twenty-first century, slavery and bondage still affect the lives of millions of people, but we see the greatest challenge in the trafficking of women and children.  Victims of human trafficking exist world wide and are subjected to force, fraud or coercion, for the purposes of sexual exploitation or abusive labor. Their sense of self is destroyed and terror becomes their way of life.  The United States has one of the largest demands for this criminal activity. Therefore:

We, the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, in keeping with our position of nonviolence and respecting the inherent dignity of each person, stand in support of human rights by explicitly opposing the trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor.

• We will educate ourselves and others regarding the magnitude, causes, and consequences of this abuse wherever we serve.

• Through our justice efforts, alone and in collaboration with other religious congregations, advocacy groups, and nongovernmental organizations, we will speak out for the truth in order to heal and support victims of this injustice and promote life through systemic change for justice.

• We will advocate for policies and programs that address the prevention of trafficking and provide alternatives to women and children in danger of being trafficked.

Adopted November 2005

What We Do

     Along with the Adrian and San Jose Dominicans, as well as many other women’s religious congregations, we co-sponsor the monthly Stop Trafficking newsletter produced by the Sisters of the Divine Savior (Salvatorian Sisters). This newsletter is particularly effective as it publishes the most updated educational, advocacy, and action pieces related to trafficking. We now email the online link to this newsletter each month to each sister.

     We are active members of the Northern California Coalition Against Trafficking which meets once a month in Redwood City. Sisters attended a workshop sponsored by this group on Trafficking Awareness at Mercy High School, San Francisco, in March, 2007. We have net-worked with SAGE and the USF student project (Not for Sale) in the City to identify how our religious communities might act in collaboration with other anti-trafficking agencies. We have also financially helped the Salvatorian Sisters establish a house (House of Hope) in Watsonville for trafficked survivors.

     Sr. Marion Irvine attended an all-day conference in Monterey for police officers, social service personnel, and faith-based and non-profit organizations who continue to educate themselves on how  best to address the crime of trafficking in our own geographic areas.

     The Dominicans on the West Coast will host a Saturday workshop on trafficking in Berkeley in October 2009.  This will be the third in the series of Western Dominican- sponsored workshops on issues from the Dominican Call to Justice: (October 2008, on Iraq and its refugee population; and in March 2009, on Immigration)

     With our Enaid Justice Social Justice Fund, we send donations to groups working against human trafficking, (i.e. Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras, Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking, and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids)