Governor's Response Against Child Exploitation (GRACE) Initiative

“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. We must unite our efforts to free victims and stop this crime that has become ever more aggressive, that threatens not just individuals, but the foundational values of society.”      ~ Pope Francis


In 2019, Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced an initiative to end child exploitation and sex trafficking in Texas. The Governor’s Response Against Child Exploitation ( GRACE) Initiative intends to empower and mobilize communities of faith in the fight against child sex trafficking.

In collaboration with other entities, this toolkit offers resources intended for Catholics to use during a Week of Prayer to End Human Trafficking, Jan. 11-17, 2021. January is designated as National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

For each day, we offer an intercessory prayer, reflection points, and a call to action. Individual Catholics, families, small faith groups, and parishes are encouraged to use material they deem appropriate. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops also provides a more robust toolkit for National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Through prayer, we not only reflect on the experiences of those that have suffered through this affront to human dignity but also comfort, strengthen and empower survivors.


Facts about Human Trafficking:

• There are an estimated 40.3 million victims of modern-day slavery worldwide. Of these, 25 million are victims of labor or sex trafficking and 15 million are people trapped in forced marriages.
• Nearly 30% of all victims are men and boys; increasing to 46% for victims of forced labor
• Unfortunately, stakeholders have increasingly found that individuals in situations of forced migration, such as refugees and unaccompanied children, are particularly vulnerable to labor and sex traffickers.
• Victim identification remains a significant challenge to U.S. efforts to prevent trafficking, prosecute perpetrators, and protect victims.
• Calculated as a 150-billion-dollar industry, modern day slavery has become the fastest growing source of illicit profit for criminals worldwide.