As 5 August, the opening date of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, draws closer, a growing effort is being made to combat the human trafficking industry. As always, the Olympics offer their host country a golden opportunity for economic growth but it is also a favorable moment for an escalation in crime and in human trafficking for motives of work or sex.
The campaign Play for Life is seeking to sensitize Brazilians to this phenomenon and to urge the country’s citizens, media and travel agencies to take steps to prevent this from happening, or, if this proves unsuccessful, to combat the situation. Supporting the campaign is Talitha Kum, the International Network of Consecrated Women Against Human Trafficking, and the International Union of Women Superiors General.
The campaign is being carried out by means of preventive methods such as the distribution of information on the subject and also through educational activities aimed primarily at teens and young adults, who run the highest risk of becoming the victims of traffickers. Different Churches and government organizations are collaborating with the campaign, making it a true ecumenical project.