The iconic Christ the Redeemer statue that looks out over this view of Rio de Janeiro was the gathering point on Wednesday for Brazilians whose loved ones have disappeared.

The event organized by the Achrdiocese of Rio also marked the so called "Day of Alert" to call attention to the fight against human trafficking and to try to solve the case of missing persons.

One woman said the pain of not knowing what happened to her 29-year-old is almost unbearable.

(SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) MOTHER WHOSE DAUGHTER DISAPPEARED, JOVITA BELFORT, SAYING:

"The pain of a mother is the same whether they were a child or not. Priscila was 29 years old when she left work to have lunch and then ended up as she did. I believe that disappearing is worse than death."

To get the message out as widely as they could, the organizers bathed the statue in an orange light that could be seen throughout the city.

The United Nations calls human trafficking one of the most "shameful cri