Parish foot soldiers combat human trafficking in city hotels

St. Ignatius parishioner Sam Gabrielli holds a copy of a poster parish volunteers handed out to San Francisco businesses to raise awareness of human trafficking. The bilingual poster, mandated for display in 13 business sectors under a new state law, includes a hotline number for victims of human trafficking seeking help or for others to report suspicious or unlawful activity. (Photo by Christina Gray/Catholic San Francisco)

 
April 12, 2018
Christina Gray
 
On March 24, the same day that downtown San Francisco swelled with thousands of protesters marching in support of victims of gun violence, nearly 50 St. Ignatius parishioners quietly fanned out on the same streets in solidarity with a less visible group of victims – the victims of human trafficking.
 
Effective Jan. 1, 2018, Senate Bill 1193 added California Civil Code 52.6 to the law requiring a list of 13 business sectors to post a prominent bilingual poster with a hotline number for victims of human trafficking seeking help or for others to report suspicious or unlawful activity. Failure to do so carries a fine of up to $1,000. Included on the list are hotels, motels and bed and breakfast inns which are often hubs for human trafficking.
 
California defines human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons or modern-day slavery, as a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. The coercion can be subtle or overt, physical or psychological, and may involve the use of violence, threats, lies, or debt bondage.
 
Traveling on foot from fleabag flophouses to four-star hotels and everything in between, the trained parishioners knocked on doors with the goal of educating owners or managers about the new law, improving its enforcement and reducing the incidence of trafficked human beings. They came armed with the required poster, a copy of Civil Code 52.6, a letter from interim San Francisco Mayor Mark Ferrell, and a list of “victim indicators” that can help front desk, concierge, bellmen, housekeeping staff and others recognize possible trafficking activity.
 
The FBI has identified California as one of the top four states for trafficked persons according to the mayor’s office, and the Bay Area in general is a national hotspot.
 
According to parishioner Mary Yanish, the parish’s advocacy committee targeted human trafficking – an umbrella that includes sex trade trafficking and labor trafficking – after a long period of discernment with Jesuit Father John Coleman, associate pastor. The advocacy project had the enthusiastic support of Jesuit Father Greg Bonfiglio, pastor, as well.
 
Since the beginning of this year, the parish committee has hosted well-attended educational movies and speaker events on human trafficking, organized letter writing campaigns and joined the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, an interfaith collaborative that includes the Northern California Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking and the Jewish Coalition to End Human Trafficking.
 
Advocacy committee members and participants in the hotel outreach day met after Mass at St. Ignatius on April 8 to share their experience with Catholic San Francisco and discuss next steps.
 
Annette Lamont said that few of the managers at the establishments she visited on Nob Hill knew about the legislation.
 
“They were startled when they found out they could be fined if they did not have the poster up,” she said. Though they were grateful for the visit and were eager to support the crackdown, none of them knew or believed it was a big problem in San Francisco. “I think that was really an eye-opener for them.”
 
Martha Keller visited 10 different hotels in the Castro neighborhood, many of them supposedly bed and breakfasts. She shoved the poster and information packet through the mail slot when one proprietor refused to come to the door.
 
“I don’t know what they are running here, but it’s not a bed and breakfast,” she said. “On my notes I wrote that the place merits further inquiry.”
 
According to Gail Priestly, the San Francisco Police Department has been candid with the faith community about lacking the resources to do this work. “So we are collaborating with them and also this larger body of people of faith,” she said.
 
“The police chief said we need your help,” Yanish said. “We need churches to help us enforce these laws.”
 
Priestly said the poster can be a sign of hope for someone who is being trafficked.
 
“It might also be to a desk clerk, a reminder to be aware of this awful thing that could be happening right under your nose,” she said. “I really feel like what we are doing at this point is simply sowing the seeds of justice, compassion and love.”