Since beginning ministry in the area of human trafficking, the Stop Trafficking! newsletter has made its way to my inbox on a monthly basis, and I always find some new learning there.
In September, for example, the issue examined the role of substance abuse in all stages of human trafficking, citing a 2022 study that found that:
“up to 84% of human trafficking survivors, mainly those exploited in sex trafficking, have struggled with drug use or substance use disorders during their victimization.”
Over the course of my involvement with LifeWay Network, I had learned that vulnerable individuals, such as new immigrants or homeless youth, may be targeted and administered fast-acting drugs, at times without their knowledge, to create a dependency that forces compliance and enables their ongoing exploitation. What was eye-opening for me was that traffickers not only seek out locations of high vulnerability, such as municipal drug courts, homeless shelters and treatment facilities, but that there are instances of traffickers opening new detox centers, or themselves staffing treatment or detox centers, to gain access to people vulnerable to labor or sex trafficking.1 “Vigilance” took on a new layer of meaning for me that day.
The Stop Trafficking! newsletter was launched in August 2003 by a Salvatorian Sister, Jean Schafer SDS. Jean had served in Rome as congregation leader (1989-2001) and, through her work with the Rome-based Union of Superiors General (UISG), become profoundly aware of the rapidly growing crisis of human trafficking. Returning to the USA, she decided to dedicate her ministry to anti-trafficking efforts.2
Public knowledge around modern-day slavery was extremely limited in 2003. Jean Schafer’s goal was to provide a free e-newsletter that would increase awareness and equip people to take action. Each issue of the newsletter is centered on a theme and modeled on the visual of a traffic light, representing three distinct pathways for reader engagement: the “red” section educates and raises awareness; “yellow” highlights advocacy, pushing for systemic change; and “green” follows through with actionable steps against human trafficking.
In 2020, having single-handedly researched and compiled the newsletter for over 16 years, Jean Schafer handed over the publication of the newsletter to the coalition she had helped to plan, the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (formerly the U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking) which continues monthly issues, in English and in Spanish, to this day. The newsletters are all archived at their website by topic as well as by date (Stop Trafficking Newsletter), making a wealth of material readily accessible.3
Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity, thanks to the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, of attending a national convening of safe houses to train, network, and share best practices. Jean Schafer was present, ever-vigilant! It was a blessing to meet, learn from and spend time with her.
1 Alliance to End Human Trafficking, Stop Trafficking! AwarenessAdvocacyAction (Sep 2026, Vol. 24, No. 9) 1, https://alliancetoendhumantrafficking.org/wp-content/uploads/2026_9-Stop-Trafficking-EN.pdf.
2 Maryann Agnes Mueller CSSF, “Jean Schafer, SDS Founder/Publisher of ‘STOP Trafficking!’ Newsletter Retires,” Jan 27, 2020, https://www.sistersofthedivinesavior.org/jeanschafersds-retires-2/.
3 Alliance to End Human Trafficking, Stop Trafficking! AwarenessAdvocacyAction (Jan 2020, Vol. 18, No. 1) 1, https://alliancetoendhumantrafficking.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-01-Stop-Trafficking.pdf.
Claudia Stecker is a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions (RNDM). She was missioned to the Philippines in 1997 and worked as an educator, first, in Cotabato, at Notre Dame University, and, later, in Manila, at Asian Social Institute. Her subject areas included pastoral sociology, leadership, music and education. Claudia was also employed by Kuya Center for Street Children where she took part in establishing a microfinance initiative among urban poor families. Over the years, Claudia served the congregation, too, in leadership, formation and finance management, returning to Canada in 2021. From 2023, she has been missioned to New York, USA, where she serves as a host community member in a LifeWay Network safehouse for women survivors of human trafficking.
