The transatlantic trade of slaves was abolished 200 years ago, but slavery still exists in a manner that is both frightening and appalling. UNESCO estimates that globally, there are between 200 – 300 million slaves. Their names, their faces, their races, and the methods of procuring them may have changed, but one fact remains the same as 200 years ago: It is a human tragedy which destroys, exploits, and dehumanizes the lives of men, women and children for purely economic reasons.
The traffic of human beings is defined as the "recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of person, by threats, physical force or in other forms of pressure, by abduction, fraud, deceit, abuse of authority or a situation of vulnerability." (UNESCO) These include forced prostitutiion or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour, debt servitude, forced organ removal, child soldiers, and begging.
There are no more boats, nor chains, nor whips, but it is still slavery. The victims are often deceived and attracted by false promises or forced physically. Certain traffickers use coercive and manipulative tactics which include deception, threats, feigned love, isolation, debt bondage, drugs, and other forms of abuse to control their victims.
How big of a problem is slavery? The United Nations and other experts say that there are persons from 127 countries being exploited in 137. The international human trafficking ring is second to only the drugs and arms trades, totalling in a profit of 32 BILLION dollars each year, 10 billion from the sale of human beings alone. It is a tragedy that spans the globe and knows no borders.
To say that slavery ended 200 years ago is a discredit to the millions who suffer daily. For a world that is supposedly becoming more modern, we are much closer to our past than anyone realizes.
The traffic of human beings is defined as the "recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of person, by threats, physical force or in other forms of pressure, by abduction, fraud, deceit, abuse of authority or a situation of vulnerability." (UNESCO) These include forced prostitutiion or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour, debt servitude, forced organ removal, child soldiers, and begging.
There are no more boats, nor chains, nor whips, but it is still slavery. The victims are often deceived and attracted by false promises or forced physically. Certain traffickers use coercive and manipulative tactics which include deception, threats, feigned love, isolation, debt bondage, drugs, and other forms of abuse to control their victims.
How big of a problem is slavery? The United Nations and other experts say that there are persons from 127 countries being exploited in 137. The international human trafficking ring is second to only the drugs and arms trades, totalling in a profit of 32 BILLION dollars each year, 10 billion from the sale of human beings alone. It is a tragedy that spans the globe and knows no borders.
To say that slavery ended 200 years ago is a discredit to the millions who suffer daily. For a world that is supposedly becoming more modern, we are much closer to our past than anyone realizes.
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