Human Trafficking Crime Networks and Pastoral Efforts for Prevention

Human trafficking is human exploitation, and it contradicts the biblical message which encourages equal and harmonious relationships between humans. Therefore, efforts needed for prevention. This study aimed to expose the criminal network of trafficking in persons specifically from Southwest Sumba Regency where Malaysia is a destination country. Data analysis based on Holland and Henriot model of the pastoral circle. The method used was descriptive qualitative. Data were obtained through observation, interviews, and literature studies, which were analyzed in depth. The result was that an effective pastoral action to prevent human trafficking is based on a deep understanding of trafficking in persons with adequate theological reflection.


INTRODUCTION
Human trafficking is the unlawful act of transporting or coercing people in order to benefit from their work or services, typically in the form of forced labor or sexual exploitation. However, it is a global phenomenon that requires international deliberation. 1  Based on the history of civilization, human trafficking is actually not a new humanitarian crisis, rather it is perceived as the new face of slavery. The study carried out by   have been several serious efforts to overcome slavery through international movements 4 ; it has remained a never-ending human tragedy throughout history untill this post-modern era.  carried out a study that analyzed the correlation between the Catholic Church and the institutions of slavery for approximately 1400 years, starting from the era of the Apostles to the middle Age. 5 According to Maxwell,4

Holland and Henriot's Pastoral Circle
Human trafficking debases human dignity and it causes the victims to seem like traded commodity. Based on this situation, the pastoral activities of the church seek to re-dignify these individuals and to prevent this crime. Recently, efforts to prevent human trafficking have become a common concern of the church leaders globally. These afflict a lot of Indonesian citizens.
Based on the narratives of the victims, several facts concerning the recruitment process were summarized. The recruitment process is carried out in a cunning manner which is reported as follows: -Persuasion and Fraud. 18 Field recruitters persuade prospective labor migrants to travel abroad by promising them large salaries. -Document forgery. 19 The identities of victims were often faked to make the process of departure easier; for example, the ages of underage candidates are altered in their identity documents in order to qualify them as adults. -Manipulative agreements. The field recruitter usually makes an agreement with the parents of the prospective migrant worker. This is usually carried out by the signing of a letter which stated that the parents of the prospective migrant workers permit their children to travel abroad while the recruiter pays them a certain amount of compensation. Subsequently, assuming the agreement is violated, their departure is cancelled, and their parents must return the compensation in a much larger amount.

Human Trafficking as Slavery
Many writers categorize human trafficking today as a form of modern slavery.  Bales and the formula from the MTAG above, so that it can be categorized as a form of modern slavery.

Slavery in the Bible
The Bible is no stranger to the situation of slavery because the Israelites themselves had experiences as slaves while being held captive in Babylon (2 Chronicles 36: 20 -21). 33 Like the other nations conquered by Babylonia, the Israelites were also made slaves for various menial jobs. Therefore, the prophet Jeremiah mentioned that apart from the nobles who were captive were also craftsmen and blacksmiths (Jeremiah 24: 1).
In the Bible, slavery takes many forms in terms of how slave status is obtained. Each type of slave also determines how the relationship is between slave owners and slaves. It also suggest how to free slaves from their status. Slave status is obtained in several ways. 34     is an effort to change the mentality, character, mindset, and action patterns of society that presume the crime of human trafficking, which is packaged with the labels "sending migrant workers" or "to migrate" as a banality in social reality.