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Modern slavery is when an individual is exploited by others, for personal or commercial gain. Whether tricked, coerced, or forced, they lose their freedom. This includes but is not limited to human trafficking, forced labour and debt bondage.
An estimated 50 million people are trapped in slavery or slave like conditions including 27.8 million in forced labor and 15.4 million in forced marriage.
– 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children.
– Out of the 27.8 million people trapped in forced labor, 16 million people are exploited in the private sector such as domestic work, construction or agriculture; 4.8 million persons are in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million persons are in forced labor imposed by state authorities.
– Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.
For a more in depth look into modern slavery on a global scale check out:
– 2022 UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons
– Annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report by the US Department of State
Global estimates published by WHO indicate that about 1 in 3 (35%) of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Almost one third (30%) of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. The prevalence estimates of intimate partner violence range from 23.2% in high-income countries and 24.6% in the WHO Western Pacific region to 37% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, and 37.7% in the WHO South-East Asia region.
Learn how to identify victims of human trafficking through Homeland Security’s Tips and how to identify victims of violence through HelpGuide’s Tips
It can seem a daunting task to learn about every company you purchase goods from, but even small efforts to buy “fair trade” and slavery-free goods can make a difference. By understanding which companies are doing good work, and those who are not, you become an empowered consumer. Knowing the goods that are often made by trafficked or exploited individuals will also assist you as you shop or begin to advocate.
