When you hear the word ‘slavery’, what do you think of?
Many people are instantly reminded of the appalling Transatlantic Slave Trade – where millions of people were forcibly taken by British ships from Africa and forced to work in the Americas - which thankfully was legally abolished in 1807.
But the hard reality is that slavery isn’t a relic of the past. Modern slavery is happening right now, all around the world. It may look different today, but it’s no less brutal and it’s no less urgent that we stop it.
But what exactly is modern slavery, why does it happen and how can we end it for good?
What is ‘modern’ slavery and how is it different?
Modern slavery is when a person is trapped in exploitation by others, for their personal or financial gain. Slavery goes beyond just bad working conditions for little to no pay. Children, women and men often experience brutal physical and sexual abuse.
Traffickers use deception, threats and violence to control and trap people in gruelling labour, sexual exploitation or child marriage. Victims can be denied adequate food or rest, and they’re often barred from accessing education or medical care.
In IJM's cases, we’ve supported survivors of slavery who report being beaten, gang-raped, locked in tiny rooms, starved and even forced to witness murder.
What’s the scale of modern slavery today?
Modern slavery remains a huge, global problem. Slavery exists in almost every country around the world – including the UK – but it is often a hidden issue.
50 million people around the world are trapped in forms of slavery like sexual exploitation and forced labour [1]. That’s nearly one in every 150 people in the world. Women and girls are among those most vulnerable.
Shockingly, 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children. That’s 12 million children – the equivalent of every child in England and Wales.
What’s more, human trafficking and modern slavery are on the rise. Climate change and global conflicts are forcing people to migrate and accept jobs they might otherwise not take, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking.
Meanwhile, technology is allowing traffickers and sex offenders to reach and abuse more people than ever before. Technology-fuelled forms of slavery like forced scamming and online sexual exploitation and abuse of children are among the fastest growing forms of modern slavery today.
Can human trafficking happen to anyone?
Although human trafficking can happen to anyone, people experiencing financial difficulty, abuse or lacking legal rights are most at risk.
Traffickers often mislead people with the promise of a better life. This can include using convincing but false job offers or the ‘lover boy’ method, where traffickers gain the trust of women by pretending to have a romantic interest in them – sometimes even making marriage proposals – before exploiting them.
What does modern slavery look like?
Ruby’s story
After the death of her parents, 16-year-old Ruby* in the Philippines was deceived by traffickers who offered her a job in a computer shop. But when she arrived, Ruby was locked in a house with a guard outside.
She was sexually abused live over the internet for sex offenders around the world to watch online: "It was like being trapped in a dark room without any rays of light," Ruby remembers.
Ruby was trapped in modern slavery until IJM and local police brought her and five other girls to safety. Thanks to Ruby’s testimony, the traffickers were arrested and eventually sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Today, Ruby is a powerful advocate for ending this crime – sharing her story internationally to protect other children: "I believe that you cannot change the world with just your opinion but your example, and I want to be that living example."
Listen to Ruby’s story here >>
What laws exist to combat human trafficking?
Globally, there are several international, regional, national agreements and laws that have been enacted to address human trafficking.
This includes the Palermo Protocol or United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (2000), a leading global framework that binds cooperation between countries to address the issue. It provides a definition for human trafficking and urges countries to prevent trafficking, hold traffickers to account and support victims.
The International Labour Organization Forced Labour Convention (No. 29, 1930) and its Protocol of 2014 urge states to strengthen efforts to eliminate forced labour in all its forms, including child labour.
How can I help combat modern slavery?
International Justice Mission (IJM) is a global organisation working with police and partners around the world to end trafficking and modern slavery. Together, we’ve seen slavery decrease by up to 86% in places where we work.
Supporting IJM’s work is one of the best ways you can help stop slavery. IJM works with partners and police in Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, South Asia, Ghana, Kenya, Romania and other nations across Europe.
Together with police and partners, IJM works to:
- Bring people to safety from slavery;
- Support survivors to heal with trauma-informed care;
- Hold traffickers to account in court;
- Strengthen justice systems to protect people from slavery in the first place.
Thanks to the support of people like you, we've helped police bring over 49,168 people like Ruby to safety from slavery and helped convict 1,318 traffickers.
This is just the beginning. Together, we’ll keep going until all are free and modern slavery is ended for good.
Join the movement to end slavery now >>
[1] Acording to the most recent Global Estimates of Modern Slavery in 2022 from the International Labour Organization, Walk Free, and the International Organization for Migration
*Pseudonym