Slavery was officially abolished in the 19th century, but the abolition did not stop slavery all together, it changed its forms and continues to harm people in every country; also known as Modern Day Slavery. “Traditional slavery” consisted largely of forced labour but the term modern slavery is used to describe multiple types of exploitation or control over an individual. That could be through human trafficking, debt bondage/bonded labour, descent-based labour, child slavery and forced or early marriage. Many people know what Modern Day Slavery is, but how aware are we of the damage caused?
Victims
Anyone can be affected by slavery and those who are do not have a choice; usually as a result of coercion, threat or physical restraint. However, some people are more vulnerable to slavery than others. For example, those that live in poverty or who have limited opportunities for work are more vulnerable to accepting deceptive job offers that can turn exploitative. ‘Unseen’ is a UK charity that aids in the rehabilitation of survivors and have published some real-life stories showing how vulnerability plays a key part in slavery: