Modern slavery survivor Moe Turaga urges Catholics not to turn a blind eye if they suspect someone is being exploited. Source: Melbourne Catholic.
He knows from his own experience that the enquiries of a concerned friend or stranger can bring light and hope to those trapped in slavery.
It is 37 years since Mr Turaga, then 17, was trafficked to Australia from Fiji to work on farms in the Sunraysia region.
In recent years, Mr Turaga, now working with the Australian Catholic Anti-Slavery Network, has found the strength and support to talk about his ordeal.
He spoke to Melbourne Catholic on the eve of February 8, World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking and the feast day of St Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of victims of human trafficking.
Born in Sudan, St Bakhita was captured and sold into slavery when she was just nine years old.
She finally landed in Italy, converting to Catholicism and entering the Canossian order, where she found comfort in her faith and community despite bearing significant physical and mental scars until her death in 1947. She was canonised in 2000.
Mr Turaga said when he first learnt of St Bakhita’s story, it resonated deeply.
“Her experience of modern slavery, and her grace and strength through faith are inspiring. The cultures, customs, countries may all be different, but her story reminded me that slavery is still universal,” he said.
Modern slavery has been linked to labour exploitation in high-risk industries such as agriculture, meat processing, construction, cleaning, hospitality and food services. As many as 40,000 people may be enslaved in Australia, according to the Walk Free Global Slavery Index.
Temporary visa holders, migrants, refuges, and people who are stateless or not authorised to work are particularly vulnerable.
“Modern slavery is still a very hazy concept for most Australians,” Mr Turaga said. “But once you start looking, you realise it is spread across a number of industries.”
He said it only took one person to step up to help a victim.
“The key is to get urgent advice from experts like ACAN and the Domus 8.7 remediation service, because an untimely intervention can have serious consequences for the victim.”
FULL STORY
Moe Turaga: shining a light on modern slavery (By Claire Heaney, Melbourne Catholic)
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