Contemporary Slavery

By Harseerat Mann, Opinions Editor

Courtesy of RITA BAY

Modern slavery is the intense exploitation of different human beings for non-public or industrial gain. Modern slavery is all around us, however regularly simply out of sight.

People can grow to be entrapped making our clothes, serving our food, choosing our crops, operating in factories, or working in homes as cooks, cleaners, and nannies. We also see it in the forms of child slavery, compelled marriage, home servitude, and forced labor. Sufferers are made to stay in their conditions via violence and intimidation.

Statistically, contemporary-day slavery is most prevalent in Africa and observed via Asia and the Pacific with the Global Slavery Index (GSI).

One victim who was quoted in a BBC News article was 16 years old when he came to the UK hoping to earn money to send home to his family. Instead, he was forced to work in a cannabis factory.

"I remember asking the man who took me there if I could leave because I didn't like it but he threatened to beat me or starve me to death," the victim said.

Modern slavery differs from historical slavery in numerous ways; there are more slaves than ever before, but they may be a smaller percentage of the human race.

No one significantly defends slavery anymore. Slavery is unlawful anywhere but it’s used by people to exploit for their own personal or commercial gain.

“Once a person’s labor is exploited by such means, the person’s prior consent to work for an employer is legally irrelevant: the employer is a trafficker and the employee a trafficking victim,” the U.S. Department of State said. “Migrants are particularly vulnerable to this form of human trafficking, but individuals also may be forced into labor in their own countries. Female victims of forced or bonded labor, especially women and girls in domestic servitude, are often sexually abused or exploited as well.”

The word “slavery” evokes photographs of shackles and transatlantic ships – depictions that appear relegated firmly to the past.

“Modern slavery is another term for human trafficking. Like forcing the victim to do work through violence, fraud can be seen through promising victims a better life,” Valencia High junior Joudi Ramadan said. “And coercion can be seen through threats of serious harm or restraint to a person. It’s disgusting.”

As a community, we are able to do a great deal to prevent present-day slavery. We can take action by contacting your mayor and police chief and encouraging them to improve services for victims.

As individuals, we can volunteer for the local anti-trafficking organizations.

Human beings are more enslaved now than at any other time in history. We have a social and moral obligation to play our part. Your simple action could help save someone’s life.