Friday, June 30, 2017

Life Issues Forum: Overcoming Human Trafficking

This edition of the Life Issues Forum is available in English. The Spanish translation will soon be posted to our website.

The Life Issues Forum is a bi-weekly column by Pro-Life Secretariat staff addressing the latest issues on the culture of life. Columns may be reprinted as they appear here (in full and without alteration) without further permission.

In Christ,
The Pro-Life Secretariat
LIFE ISSUES FORUM                                              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Debbie Shinskie, Guest Columnist                                                  June 30, 2017
 
At the local abortion facility, an older man drives a car with four young women in the back into the patient parking lot. Those praying on the sidewalk are concerned, not only with the fact that they are entering an abortion facility, but also with the suspicious dynamics in this group. In a separate incident, across town at the Catholic pregnancy health care center, a woman breaks down and shares with the nurse that a man is selling her for sex and she might be pregnant.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans Respect Life Office's active engagement in a human trafficking awareness campaign helped those praying on the sidewalk and the pregnancy center staff to recognize the signs of human trafficking and make appropriate calls to report it. Through a collaborative effort with local service providers, the young woman at the health center was quickly relocated to a safe house for sex trafficking victims.

New Orleans is a known destination for human trafficking. The popular, tourist-driven economy and convenient location allow for a "market" for both buyers and sellers of these victims. Sadly, it's a microcosm of the trafficking going on across the country.

Statistics gathered from the Polaris Project's National Human Trafficking Hotline reveal that most of the U.S. female human trafficking victims are sold for sex, often multiple times each day, up to seven days a week. According to current research, female victims are very likely to conceive a child at some point, even if they regularly use birth control. Traffickers often force these women to then abort any child conceived. So, fighting the modern-day slavery of human trafficking is a deeply pro-life endeavor - for women and their unborn children, alike.

Dioceses around the country are developing various ways to respond to this urgent situation. The Archdiocese of New Orleans' local response is part of a comprehensive approach modeled on the U.S. bishops' Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities, the Catholic blueprint for respect life activities at the national and local levels.

In addition to raising public awareness about sex trafficking, the multi-faceted approach includes a train-the-trainer element. Recent statistics indicate that 87% of trafficking survivors had contact with a healthcare provider during the time they were being trafficked, with 57% of these situations involving a women's clinic, urgent care facility, or some other type of neighborhood clinic. Catholic healthcare providers, those who pray and counsel outside abortion facilities, and others who might encounter trafficking victims are getting the training they need to recognize and assist victims.

Raising awareness about human trafficking helps us partner with care providers through our donations and services for victims and survivors. It also serves our advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal levels to affect changes legislatively.

Finally, the foundational work of prayer cannot be emphasized enough. This has grown into a whole new ministry, our Respect Life Prayer Team. Orchestrated by one of our Human Trafficking Committee members, the team leads a prayer effort involving hundreds around the archdiocese, including those who are retired, physically challenged, homebound, in assisted care residences, and others who cannot otherwise participate in this work.

The Church will keep fighting this evil hidden in plain sight. In addition to praying for the development of effective ministries for sex trafficking victims, check with your local diocese to see what resources are available for those most at risk.
Debbie Shinskie is Director of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Respect Life Office. For more on the U.S. bishops' efforts and resources to combat human trafficking, visit www.usccb.org/stopslavery

Parents of Charlie Gard: "We are Heartbroken, We Can't Even Take Him Home to Die





LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report

Friday, June 30, 2017


For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.
Top Stories• Parents of Charlie Gard: “We are Utterly Heartbroken. We Can’t Even Take Our Son Home to Die”
• A Hospital Will Kill This Boy Today Even Though His Parents Want Him to Live
• Seven Planned Parenthood Abortion Facilities Permanently Close Today
• President Trump to Senate Republicans: Repeal Obamacare Now


More Pro-Life News
• Rep. Franks: If Defunding Planned Parenthood is Taken Out of Health Care Bill, It’ll “Blow to Smithereens”
• Vatican Criticized for “Cowardly” Statement After Court Says Hospital Can Kill Charlie Gard
• Pro-Life Democrats Meet With Party Chair Tom Perez. He Tells Them, “Sorry, We’re Pro-Abortion
• Terri Schiavo’s Brother: “What Happened to My Sister Continues to Happen, and It’s Getting Worse”
• Doctor: Insurance Wouldn’t Pay for My Patients’ Treatments, But Would Cover Assisted Suicide
• Ben Shapiro Condemns Women Who Celebrate Their Abortions: They’re “Heroes” to Liberals
• Mother Jailed for Assault After Drug Overdose Caused Her to Deliver Baby Two Months Premature
• United Nations Human Rights Committee Pressures Ireland to Legalize Abortion
• The Pro-Life Movement is Winning the Battle to End Abortion, Here’s Why
• Despite Massive Hype and Billions of Dollars Embryonic Stem Cells Still Haven’t Cured a Single Patient
• Planned Parenthood Does 44% More Abortions in Minnesota Over the Last 4 Years
• Oregon Committee Passes Bill to Force People to Pay $500,000 for More Abortions




Parents of Charlie Gard: “We are Utterly Heartbroken. We Can’t Even Take Our Son Home to Die”
Charlie Gard, the 10-month-old baby in the United Kingdom who is afflicted with a rare mitochondrial disease, will have his life support withdrawn after his parents lost their appeal.
Cl ick to Read at LifeNews.com.

A Hospital Will Kill This Boy Today Even Though His Parents Want Him to Live
Today, the case of a little boy who is soon to die. His name is Charlie.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.




Seven Planned Parenthood Abortion Facilities Permanently Close Today
Seven Planned Parenthood facilities, six of which conducted medication abortions, are set to permanently close today in three states.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.



President Trump to Senate Republicans: Repeal Obamacare Now
President Donald Trump today told Senate Republicans that they should repeal Obamacare immediately.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.
Looking for an inspiring and motivating speaker for your pro-life event? Don't have much to spend on a high-priced speaker costing several thousand dollars? Contact LifeNews at news@lifenews.com about having LifeNews Editor Steven Ertelt speak at your event.

Rep. Franks: If Defunding Planned Parenthood is Taken Out of Health Care Bill, It’ll “Blow to Smithereens”
One surefire way to ensure that the GOP’s health care bill never sees the light of day is if the leadership removes its pro-life provisions.

Click to Read at LifeNews.com

Vatican Criticized for “Cowardly” Statement After Court Says Hospital Can Kill Charlie Gard
On Friday, the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life issued a rather curious statement on the sad case of British baby Charlie Gard.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com
Looking for an inspiring and motivating speaker for your pro-life event? Don't have much to spend on a high-priced speaker costing several thousand dollars? Contact LifeNews at news@lifenews.com about having LifeNews Editor Steven Ertelt speak at your event.

Pro-Life Democrats Meet With Party Chair Tom Perez. He Tells Them, “Sorry, We’re Pro-AbortionDemocratic Party leaders met with pro-life Democrats this week to discuss how the party’s radical and out-of-touch stance on abortion is alienating voters.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.

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Terri Schiavo’s Brother: “What Happened to My Sister Continues to Happen, and It’s Getting Worse”
More than 10 years after Terri Schiavo’s death, her family continues to fight for the rights of the medically vulnerable.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.


Despite Massive Hype and Billions of Dollars Embryonic Stem Cells Still Haven’t Cured a Single Patient

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Thursday, June 29, 2017

Cecile Richards: Fund Planned Parenthood If You Want to Stop Abortion






LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report

Thursday, June 29, 2017


For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.
Top Stories• Cecile Richards: Fund Planned Parenthood If You Want to Stop Abortion
• Pro-Abortion Republicans Plan Amendment to Strip Defunding Planned Parenthood From Obamacare Repeal
• Nancy Pelosi: Funding Planned Parenthood “Respects the Dignity and Worth of Every Person”
• Woman Attacks Pregnant Mom and Cuts Her Unborn Baby Out of Her Womb


More Pro-Life News
• David Daleiden: Planned Parenthood is “Terrified” About More Videos I Have Exposing Aborted Baby Sales
• New Comedy “Choice, The Musical” Celebrates Abortion
• She Got Off the Operating Table Right Before the Abortion Began and Walked Out
• Cosmo Allows Rapist to Walk Free So It Can Trash Pro-Life People
• Taxpayers Are Funding Animal Tests Exploring Do-It-Yourself “Herbal Abortions”
• He Was Considered the “Patron Saint” of Euthanasia. Now He’s Having Second Thoughts
• Since the Terrible Planned Parenthood v. Casey Defeat 25 Years Ago the Pro-Life Movement is Winning
• Court Rules Against Abortion Law Silencing Free Speech of Pro-Lifers Outside Abortion Clinics
• Woman Tells Politicians: Don’t Abort People Like Me Just Because We Have Down Syndrome
• MSNBC Host Admits “I Don’t have Enough Knowledge” About Planned Parenthood to Report On It
• ACLU and Planned Parenthood Get Judge to OK Abortions on Teen Girls Without Parental Consent
• Government Rules Women in Northern Ireland Can Get Free Abortions at Taxpayer Expense



Cecile Richards: Fund Planned Parenthood If You Want to Stop Abortion
Funding America’s largest abortion provider will reduce abortions, according to its president.
Cl ick to Read at LifeNews.com.
Pro-Abortion Republicans Plan Amendment to Strip Defunding Planned Parenthood From Obamacare Repeal
Two pro-abortion Republicans plan to introduce an amendment to strip the provision defunding the Planned Parenthood abortion business from the Senate bill to repeal Obamacare.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.




Nancy Pelosi: Funding Planned Parenthood “Respects the Dignity and Worth of Every Person”
Just one day after she said that Republicans are supposedly dishonoring God by attempting to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business, Nancy Pelosi is at it again.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.



Woman Attacks Pregnant Mom and Cuts Her Unborn Baby Out of Her Womb
A gruesome double murder took place in Brazil recently when a woman allegedly lured a pregnant woman to her home, drugged and killed her and then cut the baby out of the dead woman’s womb, according to authorities.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.
Looking for an inspiring and motivating speaker for your pro-life event? Don't have much to spend on a high-priced speaker costing several thousand dollars? Contact LifeNews at news@lifenews.com about having LifeNews Editor Steven Ertelt speak at your event.

David Daleiden: Planned Parenthood is “Terrified” About More Videos I Have Exposing Aborted Baby Sales
Hailed as the hero by pro-life advocates and despised by abortion activists, David Daleiden is the man of the hour in the national abortion debate.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com

New Comedy “Choice, The Musical” Celebrates Abortion
A new musical comedy debuted last week in Chicago to prompt people to laugh at something few people think is a laughing matter – abortion.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com
Looking for an inspiring and motivating speaker for your pro-life event? Don't have much to spend on a high-priced speaker costing several thousand dollars? Contact LifeNews at news@lifenews.com about having LifeNews Editor Steven Ertelt speak at your event.

She Got Off the Operating Table Right Before the Abortion Began and Walked OutAlly was sitting on the table at a California abortion clinic in 2014 when the ultrasound image of her unborn baby began flooding her mind.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.

 ;
Cosmo Allows Rapist to Walk Free So It Can Trash Pro-Life People
Reaching what can only be described as a new, heartbreaking low, Cosmopolitan ran an article Monday arguing that opposition to abortion leads not just to “extreme violence,” but—at least in one case—to rape.
Click to Read at LifeNews.com.

MSNBC Host Admits “I Don’t have Enough Knowledge” About Planned Parenthood to Report On It

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Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report
Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
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