We present you the three laureates of the 2024 Sisters’ Anti-Trafficking Awards. These awards honor three women who have demonstrated exceptional courage, creativity, collaboration, and achievement in protecting their communities from human trafficking.

Meet sr. Anne Victory, HM from USA, recipient of the the Servant Leadership Award.

Sr. Anne Victory began her healthcare ministry as a staff nurse at St. Joseph Hospital, Lorain, where she worked as a clinician, a nurse educator at St. Joseph School of Practical Nursing, a nurse administrator, and as Director of Education and Vice President of Mission. She currently holds a position on two Mercy boards: the Board of Managers at Mercy Willard and the Mercy Regional Foundation Board in Lorain where she uses her knowledge and experience to keep the mission and values of the organisation present. Mercy Health has recently made a commitment to raise awareness of human trafficking and train their staff to recognise it, and Sr. Anne is grateful for this focus.

Sr. Anne was at the forefront of developing the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, based in Cleveland, Ohio, with mission to educate, advocate and connect services on behalf of trafficked persons. It was a joint effort begun in 2007 by members of several religious communities, including the HMs. Sr. Anne Victory was one of its early leaders and champions. Their initial focus was on raising awareness. Then, the sisters and some lay colleagues educated themselves on the complexities of the issue and began giving presentations to a wide variety of audiences. Each presentation included specific actions that participants could take to make a difference.

As a founding member of US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT), now Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT), Sr Anne has worked with Talitha Kum in developing our understanding of the root causes of human trafficking, participating in the 2019 Talitha Kum Assembly in Rome. As a healthcare provider, she has seen time and time again the effects of not addressing root causes. By educating and advocating for issues to improve from forced migration to the conflict, Sr. Anne is both aware of root causes and working actively improved conditions where vulnerability is rife and human traffickers flourish.