Abstract
Human trafficking, despite being illegal in every country, remains a global problem. Even in the face of a global pandemic, human trafficking continues to be a dynamic, complex issue. Leaders in the fight against trafficking are faced with a multilayered issue that thrives in a complex environment. This issue requires an understanding of the systems at play and in turn a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to building initiatives to combat these systems. The insights of those currently working in the field of anti-trafficking provide valuable first-hand lessons and best practices.
While underrepresented in the leadership literature, Catholic Sisters are an active group that is recognized for their successes in the field of anti-trafficking. This qualitative phenomenological study described and interpreted the lived experience of Catholic Sisters as leaders in anti-trafficking initiatives. Within this study, Catholic Sisters in international anti-human trafficking organizations described their lived experiences in leading international anti-trafficking initiatives. The specific environments they were involved in can be characterized as Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA). Drawing on interviews with Catholic Sisters involved in anti-trafficking efforts, this study’s findings included recommendations for leaders involved in complex areas such as anti-trafficking.
Keywords: Anti-human trafficking, Catholic Sisters, COVID 19, human trafficking, pandemic, systems thinking, VUCA, wicked problems.