On November 13, 2025, the Oblate Sisters of the Most Holy Redeemer – Europe Province celebrated in Madrid the V International Conference on Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation, under the motto “Experiences and reflections in accompanying the victims.”
The event, which combined in-person and virtual formats, brought together more than 300 professionals from the social, legal, educational, and pastoral fields to delve into the transformations that human trafficking is undergoing and the challenges posed by providing care to the women who suffer from it.
Carmen Ortega, superior of the European Province of the Oblate Sisters, indicated that the day began with a worrying observation: the reality of trafficking and prostitution has become more complex, more dispersed, and more invisible. In this regard, she stated that contexts are changing, networks are altering their recruitment and control methods, and women are facing increasingly precarious situations, with greater difficulties accessing basic rights such as housing, healthcare, and employment.
“Human trafficking becomes invisible when women are also invisible,” Carmen Ortega pointed out. “Our mission is to accompany them with closeness and respect, and to remind society that their story cannot remain on the margins,” Sister Carmen concluded.
The Oblate Sisters of the European Province work on social projects in Spain, Portugal, and Italy, where they support thousands of women each year who are victims of prostitution and trafficking. In these settings, welcoming, building relationships, and providing support become the core of a social action that goes beyond mere assistance: it is a commitment to autonomy, freedom, and the restoration of rights.
The organizer of the conference, Roberto Ferreriro, emphasized that in recent years there has been an increase in the number of women living directly in the places where they work as prostitutes—apartments, clubs, or other enclosed spaces—which increases their isolation and vulnerability. He also noted a decline in their physical and emotional health, exacerbated by their living conditions and exposure to violence.
“We are facing new realities that demand new ways of supporting women,” explained Roberto Ferreiro. “It is not enough to offer help; it is necessary to create spaces where women can rebuild their lives, discover their abilities, and feel part of a community that recognizes and empowers them,” Ferreiro asserted.
The proposal of the Oblates rests on a profound conviction: every woman has the right to be accompanied with respect, without judgment, and with confidence placed in her own potential. This way of accompanying women, which stems from the Oblate charism, translates into concrete actions: personal and educational pathways, psychological and healthcare support, social and employment integration programs, and residential and protective resources where women can begin a new life.
For the Oblate Sisters, accompaniment is a form of social transformation. Each personal journey is also an act of protest against the structures that generate exclusion. Therefore, alongside direct support, the Congregation promotes social awareness and political advocacy, convinced that without a shift in collective perspective there is no true justice for women in prostitution and/or victims of sex trafficking.
“We want to continue being a beacon of hope,” added Carmen Ortega, “networked with so many people, organizations, and institutions who believe that dignity is not negotiable, it must be defended. Because trafficking is not a problem for a few, but a crime that concerns us all as a society and demands concrete actions that address this reality comprehensively.”
“To accompany is not to replace; it is to walk alongside,” Roberto Ferreiro summarized. “On that path, each woman becomes the protagonist of her own process and reminds us that hope is also learned through accompaniment.”
(oblates.com)
