(St.
Louis, MO): Human Trafficking is among the many serious issues in need of
healing both in St. Louis and throughout the world. While many call it a hidden
crime, it exists not only in the St. Louis area, but in virtually every city and
town in our country.
After
months of collaborative conversation and planning, the U.S. Federation of
the Sisters of Saint Joseph (CSSJ) is excited that the Millennium Hotel St.
Louis is taking the steps necessary to sign and implement the six-point ECPAT-USA Code of
Conduct. By signing this code the Millennium Hotel
St. Louis will take a stand against the sexual exploitation of children by
helping ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking in
Children for Sexual Purposes) fight child sex tourism. The Code of Conduct for
the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism,
developed by ECPAT, sets a standard of responsible business practices that
effectively crack down on child sexual exploitation.
Discussions with the hotel about the complex issue of human
trafficking began when the Sisters of Saint Joseph first contracted with the
Millennium for their national event. In speaking of the process that will
culminate in the signing of the ECPAT Code of Conduct, Sister Kathleen
McCluskey, CSJ, Executive Director of the Federation says, “As Jesus taught
us,it’s all about building relationships of healing in our world. We wanted to
host our national Event at a hotel that supports this mission and spirituality.
From the moment they became aware of the horror of human slavery and the role
that hotels can play in combating it, the management at the Millennium has been
eager to learn and take action.
The
Sisters of St. Joseph are pleased to have been partners in a collaboration with
the Millennium, ECPAT, and Nix Conference and Meeting Management that has
brought us to this important moment. In signing the ECPAT Code, developing
policies and procedures for the prevention of trafficking, and educating every
person on the staff, the Millennium St. Louis demonstrates a true concern for
people, surely for their guests, but also for the world we all live in. They are
taking concrete steps to combat a degrading and horrible abuse that threatens
the whole human community.”
Of this
collaboration, Nix says, “Nix Conference
& Meeting Management is thankful for the opportunity to work with the
U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Millennium Hotel St. Louis
on this venture. We support the commitment of Federation of the Sisters of St.
Joseph and ECPAT to combat human trafficking. We stand firm in our resolve to
protect all children and will unite with others in the industry to bring
awareness to the human trafficking issue.”
Dominic
Smart, General Manager of the Millennium Hotel St. Louis comments, “It is
important for all of us to join together to fight human trafficking.
Everyone in our hotel will take part in the ECPAT training and be vigilant in
helping to keep human trafficking and exploitation of children out of our hotel
and our community. Having the Sisters of St. Joseph gather in our hotel brought
this issue more clearly to our attention and everyone in the hotel has strong
beliefs about it. As a father of three, like any parent, I am sensitive to this
cause and feel that every child has a righto a healthy and happy childhood.”
The
signing of the EPCAT Code of Conduct will take place on July 12, 2011 at the
Millennium Hotel St. Louis during the 2011
Event of the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph where close to
900 Sisters and Associates from across the nation and the world will be
gathered. Roman Catholic women religious have been key leaders in the national
and international movement to stop the demand for human trafficking.
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