Learn MoreBecause of the nature of modern day slavery, many people know very little about it. Therefore, the first step is to educate ourselves and those around us about this very important issue. Only when we understand the issues that we are facing can we be capable of making a difference. Therefore, we have provided a short summary of modern day slavery and common misconceptions that many people have about slavery. In addition, we have provided a list of informational sources so that you can better understand the world of slavery and the anti-slavery movement:
A brief overview of modern slaveryIn the past 100 years, the face of slavery has been transformed by the illegalization of the industry as well as economic and social forces. As a result, modern slavery is very different from what might come to mind if we think of the South before the civil war. Historical slavery was considered a long term investment. Slaves were very expensive and the initial investment often would not be recovered until several years afterwards. Therefore, slaves were considered extremely valuable, much like a tractor or expensive kitchen appliance. Because of the population boom of the last century, the price of slaves worldwide, even though now illegal, has dropped dramatically. Consequently, slaves are now considered disposable assets instead of long term investments, a condition that has led to increased abuse and maltreatment. According to a study published in 2004 by Kevin Bales, at least 27 million slaves exist in the world today. That is the low figure, and some figures have estimated as many as 200 million people enslaved worldwide. It seems that no country is immune to the slave trade, even the United States. Kevin Bales further estimates that there are 14,000 to 17,500 incidents of human trafficking in the United States each year, an estimate based on reports from the US Department of State and the US Department of Justice. This is roughly the same number as the amount of homicides per year in the US, yet little is known or done about this very important issue. The lives of slaves are as diverse as humans themselves. Sometimes slaves are treated well, but often they are beaten, abused, and mistreated. They are employed in a variety of industries, with perhaps the most widely recognized being the horror of sex slavery, where girls and sometimes boys, often very young, are forced to have sex with multiple men each evening. In addition, slaves are used to make bricks in Pakistan, charcoal in Brazil, and rugs in India. They are used to clean the houses of rich people, work the fields of poor people, and are sometimes even used to enforce slavery upon others. Likewise, the story of their enslavement is also very diverse. Like historical slavery, some slaves were born into slavery or were stolen from their homes. Others are tricked into slavery by offers of a better life and a chance at a good job. One of the most common forms of slavery is debt bondage, where an initial loan, often as little as $40 dollars, becomes impossible to repay due to unreasonably high inflation and shady records. This debt then becomes an excuse to enslave the person perpetually, and is often passed on to relatives after death. No matter what they do or how they got there, one common thread runs through the stories of each and every slave. They are trapped with no way out. They aren't paid for their work, and they aren't given the freedom to choose where to go or how to live. The most important thing to remember is that they are not just statistics and numbers. They are real people who suffer, hope, dream, and hunger. They are daughters and sons, mothers and fathers. As we learn more about them and their plight, we must remember to connect with them as humans and treat them as more than numbers. Only then can we succeed in our fight against modern day slavery. |
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