While slavery is often thought of as a relic of history, there are many locations around the world where the use of slave labor is still prevalent, with the practice ingrained in society through a variety of means. Here’s everything you need to know:
Slavery still exists?
Sadly, yes. A recent report from the International Labor Organization estimated that at least 50 million people around the world were living in modern slavery. That figure means nearly one out of every 150 people on the planet can be considered to be enslaved. While modern slavery has long existed in the shadows, the ILO reported that the number of modern enslaved people has risen significantly in the last five years — estimates say there are now at least 10 million more enslaved people in the world than there were in 2016.
Modern slavery disproportionately affects women and children, the ILO reported, though men are still heavily victimized.
There are a number of reasons that modern slavery has seen increased numbers, with BBC News reporting that global conflicts and climate change contribute to people leaving their homes to become migrants — something that immediately puts them at risk. The COVID-19 pandemic has also led to a rise in modern slavery due to financial disruptions around the world, BBC News added.
Grace Forrest, the founder of the Walk Free Foundation, told NPR that while modern slavery has adapted and shifted over the years, “exploitation is still occurring on an unprecedented scale” around the world.
So what exactly is modern slavery?
It can take many different forms. The NGO Anti-Slavery International defines modern slavery simply as any scenario “when an individual is exploited by others, for personal or commercial gain.” While some of these forms of servitude may not appear on the outside to be “slavery,” they are considered such nevertheless.
The U.S. State Department lists a number of different instances that fall under the umbrella of modern slavery. Perhaps the most common — and the one that invokes the term “slavery” the most — is forced labor. This occurs when labor is exploited through threats of violence, deception, or coercion to compel somebody to work for them. Once someone is exploited for their labor, the State Department notes that any prior consent to work is irrelevant.
One specific type of coercion mentioned by the State Department is bonded labor or debt bondage. This debt can also be inherited. In South Asia, for example, it’s estimated that millions of victims are forced to pay off the debt of their ancestors. Domestic servitude, forced marriage, and forced child labor are also commonly seen forms of the trade.
Human and sexual trafficking also make up a large percentage of modern slavery, according to the State Department. This involves any sex act, such as prostitution, that is the result of coercion via violence, threats, or fraud. Many perpetrators of sex trafficking are involved in the process the entire way through, from the recruiting of victims to their transportation and solicitation. Similar to forced labor, even if a sex worker initially consents to prostitution, they are considered enslaved as soon as they are coerced or threatened into having sex.
Where does modern slavery occur?
There are 195 sovereign countries in the world, and modern slavery can be found in almost all of them. Most, if not all, of this modern slavery takes place behind closed doors, BBC News reported. This may make it seem as though slavery only takes place in developing countries when the reality is it remains a prevalent problem globally.
A 2018 report from the Thomson Reuters Foundation found that North Korea, Eritrea, and Burundi are likely the three nations that have the highest number of modern slaves. India, China, and Pakistan, meanwhile, were reported to be the trio of countries with the most victims. In all, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific islands were cited as the most guilty regions.
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Read More: The international problem of modern slavery