Modern day slavery, otherwise known as Human Trafficking, holds some 27 million men, women and children by force (including the threat of force), fraud or coercion…it’s grip is only slightly weaker than that of the arms trade. The ‘human trade’ not only continues to fuel organized crime, and is often tided to it’s power house siblings, the arms and drug trades, continually undermining our global stability, including the security and health.
The human trade is not a new trade, however the past few years have led average citizens to open their eyes to the harsh realities of the increasing sell of humans. Suddenly one sits down to watch their favorite crime drama and scenes of sex trafficking flash across the screen, but this eye opener is only a tiny window of modern slavery that encompasses child soldiers, forced marriage, debt bondage, domestic servitude, forced labor, and a multitude of scenarios and situations that can often shock and awe one with their ingenuity, however the reality and types of modern slavery are rarely understood, and it is this misunderstanding and lack of information and knowledge by the public that unwittingly fuels the trade.
According to a new UN Office on Drugs and Crime global report on Human Trafficking, while “tremendous progress” has been realized against people-trafficking in recent years, “it is sick that we should even need to write a report about slavery in the 21st Century,” said a UN spokesman (BBC).
“This Report increases our understanding of modern slave markets, yet it also exposes our ignorance”, Executive Director of UNODC, Antonio Maria Costa said. “We have a big picture, but it is impressionistic and lacks depth. We fear the problem is getting worse, but we can not prove it for lack of data, and many governments are obstructing”, he admitted… “If we do not overcome this knowledge crisis we will be fighting the problem blindfolded”, he warned.
The Report of 155 countries, showed that the largest form of modern slavery is sexual exploitation (79%), with the majority of victims being women and girls. The second largest form is forced labor (18%). Globally some 20% of all victims of modern slavery are children, although in various regions of the world, especially Africa, children make up the majority of victims, even as high as 100% in parts of West Africa.
Awareness and knowledge are the first keys to breaking the cycle of modern slavery, but it will take more than public awareness to see an end to the trade of human flesh, it will strong will and the cooperation of governments, corporate industry and the general community.
To see the full Report click here
To learn more about Human Trafficking/Modern Slavery see the following resource pages Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Links, Human Trafficking Conventions and Laws, Slavery and Trafficking Related Books, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Reports and Publications, Human Trafficking and Slavery Related Movies and Documentaries.
Also see my other posts on Child Trafficking, Slavery, and Child Soldiers
If you have reason to suspect that someone is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline on (1-888-373-7888). Multilingual call specialists are on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are confidential.
The special screening was held in Washington DC last night for the acclaimed film, HOLLY, opened by 
As Patrick says in the film, when asked why he was trying to save Holly, “You develop this glazed stare…and as long as you don’t look into their eyes you are fine…, but I stopped, I looked into her eyes!” And like Patrick I too have looked into the eyes of slavery and no longer can I ever look away. I hope Holly gives you the incite you need so that you too can never look away. If we begin to open eyes around the world, then we will begin to see the enormity of the problem of this $12 billion dollar criminal industry. An industry in which more than 1 million children, women and men around the world are sold into sexual slavery every year, according to UNICEF. The U.S. State Department estimates 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders annually. More than a quarter of the victims of sex trafficking and sexual slavery are children aged 9-15 years old, but children as young as 5, and even a year old are often sent into this world of darkness.