Sister Rita Jovick, PBVM, Honored

Sister Rita Jovick, PBVM, received a Modern-Day Abolitionist Award for Outstanding Advocacy and Collaboration from the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (SFCAHT) on January 10, 2025.
 
Awarded during the 2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Sister Rita was honored as an active member of the Northern California Catholic Sisters Against Trafficking (NCCSAHT), the Alliance to End Human Trafficking of the United States Catholic Sisters, and SFCAHT.
 
Sister Rita began her journey in this work in the late 1970s and early 1980s through workshops offered to school staffs. “I always looked for social justice areas where I could serve and where I could be a voice to the unserved.”  The workshops taught school staffs how to recognize signs of abuse and human trafficking among their students.
 
Over the years, Sister Rita’s involvement with this issue has changed over time. Asked why she has continued in this area of justice work, Sister Rita says, “It has to end. It may not end in my life, but we cannot just let it go on.”

For the last eight years, she has helped organize the collaborative business outreach initiative and participated in the interfaith teams visiting hotels and motels to ensure the implementation of the human trafficking public notice state laws. In addition, Sister Rita has organized the annual outreach to Catholic schools in the Bay Area to educate students about human trafficking, promote their participating in the annual teen poster, writing and music contest of SFCAHT, and involve the students in advocacy.
 
Continuing in this work for forty-five plus years, Sister Rita says, “I am so appreciative of the collaboration that takes place in these organizations and the dedicated people working on this issue. It is wonderful to be part of these larger organizations. And, I am grateful that at 87 years of age I am able to still able to join in these efforts.”
 
For more information about human trafficking and efforts to stop it, go to: polarisproject.org or alliancetoendhumantrafficking.org. To report situations of human trafficking, text HELP to 233733 (BEFREE) or call the hotline at 888-373-7888.