What is modern-day slavery? This PowerPoint accompanies a World AIMS resource on modern-day slavery. Please search for that on the World AIMS Website (www.worldaims.org.uk) to deliver a workshop to your students on the issues of slavery and human trafficking. What is modern-day slavery?

There are though to be just under 30 million modern-day slaves “Slavery occurs when one person completely controls another person, using violence or the threat of violence to maintain that control, exploits them economically, or pays them nothing and they cannot walk away.” (CNN Freedom Project) Over half the people trafficked into slavery every year are children (Stop the Traffik) People trafficked into slavery are forced to become factory workers, farm workers, sex workers, cocoa bean pickers, restaurant workers or even soldiers against their will. Read through the facts with your class. Are there any facts that surprise them? There are though to be just under 30 million modern-day slaves

Being trafficked or forced into slavery does not always mean having to leave your country or living in a developing nation. There have been a number of cases in the UK of young people tricked into slavery and into the sex industry. How do students think other young people might be tricked into slavery? This can be through promises of work, sexual grooming etc. Often it is vulnerable children that are picked on. In 2013 we know of 451 people under 18 years who were trafficked into the UK from 44 countries. 63 of these young people were from the UK and were trafficked internally, within the UK, often from town to town. (data from: Stop the Traffik)

Some of the situations the millions of modern-day slaves find themselves in. Sold to gangs involved in petty street crime (currently a trend in Europe) Domestic labour Forced marriage or sold as a ‘foreign bride’. Sex industry – either to an individual or to be sold many times. Slavery where forced to grow/manufacture drugs These are just some of the global issues linked to modern-slavery. There are of course sadly many more… Bonded labour on a farm: Never able to pay back the debt owed. Forced labour within factories.

This is such a big issue. Is there really anything we can do about it? Zach Hunter (born 1991) is an anti-slavery activist from the USA. When he was 12 years old, he launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains, a student-led effort to raise awareness and funds to end slavery. When asked why he got involved as an abolitionist at such a young age, Hunter said "There are actually 27 million slaves in the world. I was really surprised to find that out," he said. "And I had all these emotions about it and I wasn't sure what to think about the idea of having modern slavery, you know. But I didn't think it was enough to just have emotions."   Hunter took his emotions of anger and outrage and launched Loose Change to Loosen Chains. Through the campaign, students tell the stories of modern day slaves and collect loose change in yellow cups. The collected change is then used to help fund the work of abolitionist organisations . Story of Zach Hunter. Shows how one young person made a really big difference despite at the time only being 12 years old. After reading his story here together watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xdek-PmAgnY together. “I didn’t think it was enough to just have emotions”

If your students want to do more about the issue direct them to this website. There are also lots of great activities for schools to take part in on specific causes of trafficking and modern-day slavery.