A TALK at Corpus Christi Church in Wokingham gave audience members much to think about.
They were there to hear Sister Imelda Poole MBE speak on the topic of Modern Slavery and Supporting Victims of Trafficking.
Around 50 people gathered in the second week of January to hear Sr. Imelda’s insights, based on her extensive experience of the important issue.
In her talk she highlighted a quote from Pope Francis, who said: “Human trafficking is a scourge, a crime against the whole of humanity.
“It is time to join forces and work together to free its victims and eradicate this crime affecting all of us, from individual families to the worldwide community.”
Sr. Imelda pointed out the countries most affected by trafficking explored global efforts to combat this crime, and analysed the factors that fuel and perpetuate it.
The presentation also shed light on emerging trafficking trends, particularly the increased exploitation of technology and social media by traffickers since the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also emphasised the importance of resilience and prevention strategies, stressing the need for community engagement, capacity building, and effective policy action.
Graham Powell, a Corpus Christi parishioner, said: “We have heard much that is shocking and it is happening everywhere.
“Now we need to turn our concern into action.”
Attendees were able to learn practical steps to take to help combat trafficking, such as reporting suspected cases, and raising awareness of the issue.
And the talk concluded with a prayer of hope to inspire the audience to take action against human trafficking.
A Q&A session followed where audience members shared their local experiences and perspectives on the issue, demonstrating a strong community commitment to addressing the global crisis.
Sr. Imelda Poole, MBE, is a British Roman Catholic nun of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She has extensive experience in education and grassroots mission work in the UK.
Her ministry shifted to Albania, and in 2013 she co-founded Mary Ward Loreto (MWL), an NGO dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating victims of human trafficking.
MWL operates across borders, with MWL UK established in 2022 to support these efforts.
Sr. Imelda until recently served as President of RENATE, a European network combating human trafficking.
For information, visit: corpuschristi-wokingham.org, ibvm.org, marywardloreto.org, and renate-europe.net
