In Italy, nuns preach among prostitutes

Italian nuns go to the streets of cities at night to spiritually help foreign prostitutes working in Italy. The nuns dressed in their vestments teach women instructions and offer help in getting rid of a shameful profession.

The action takes place with the participation of the US Embassy under the Holy Thron , the International Organization for Migration and the Italian Union of Rectors of Monastic Orders as part of a more general program to combat the slave trade, Blagovet-Info reports.

“Once it was already over with slavery, and we will be able to do it again,” Jim Nicholson's Ambassador said to the US Ambassador to the Vatican’s Ambassador last week at a press conference. In late January - early February of this year, 27 nuns who passed preliminary training took to the streets of Rome. The purpose of the nuns is to provide psychological assistance to prostitutes and teach women how to get rid of pimps and start a normal life.

“The nuns are well aware of the situation and really want to help,” said the representative of the International Migration Organization Stefano Volpicelli. “However, before they had no resources for this, in addition to their own spiritual experience and strong desire.” Volpichelli led the training of the nuns participating in the project.

During the training, "we could discuss any issues," said Sister Maria Rosario Ekarri Posobost, who runs a shelter for women. Coming to prostitutes, the nuns persuaded them to use condoms to protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Sisters also urge prostitutes to regularly pass tests for HIV and other infections.

“Our goal is to help women realize human dignity in themselves, to understand that they themselves must protect their body,” Maria's sister emphasized. According to the nun, self -esteem is the first step towards a new life for "fallen" women. According to an employee of the Organization of the Workers' Organization at the Union of Rectors of Italy, the sister of Eudinius Bonetti, today from 50,000 to 70,000 foreigners are working on the streets of the country. As a rule, in their homeland women are offered work in Italy. Upon arrival in the country, a company that organized "employment" takes away a passport from women and makes prostitutes work in order to pay for the road and accommodation. Most Italian prostitutes come from Nigeria, Romania and Albania.

According to Sister Bonetti, who has been organizing programs for assistance to prostitutes since 1990, today 220 nuns have been involved in 108 different rehabilitation projects of the victims of slave trade throughout Italy. Monastic vestments make a great impression on foreign prostitutes, as most of them come to Italy from deeply religious countries. “When I go out into the street in the clothes of the nuns, women run up to me and call“ mother, ”says Bonetti’s sister.“ They trust me and feel protected. Crucifixion on my chest is my passport. ”