Modern Day Slavery The Unknown Tragedy of Human Trafficking

History of Slavery

What Do You Know?

What Does It Really Look Like?

Labor Slaves  Estimated 27million slaves in the world today—more than any other time in history.  Children below the age of 18 represent between 40 and 50% of the total forced labor victims.  Places of forced labor: rock quarries, rice mills, brick kilns, fisheries, garment factories and many other industries around the world.  Victims of slavery are often deprived of the freedom of movement, unable to leave the place in which they work.  Often victims of violent physical and sexual abuse

Child Soldiers  Most critical in Africa, where children as young as nine have been involved in armed conflicts.  Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East also force children into armed combat  Taken by armed political groups.  Government-backed paramilitary groups, militias and self- defense units operating in many conflict zones, including territorial or ethnic disputes

Sex Trade  Second largest criminal industry in the world today.  Worldwide, nearly 2 million children forced into sexual slavery…ten times the size of Portage County’s population or roughly the amount of children in Ohio currently.  Nearly 23 million total sex slaves in the world…almost two and a half times the total population of Ohio.  Today, the illicit sex trade totals over 32 million dollars in revenue yearly…more than the operating budget of most professional sports teams.

How Does it Happen?  Coercion  Forced into slavery due to basic survival needs, familial responsibility, social or monetary debt, etc.  Trickery  Given hope or promise of job in a different city, financial stability, protection, etc. and then sold into slavery  Force  Women and children especially are vulnerable to forced capture and exploitation in many parts of the world (particularly linked to AIDS epidemic)

Where in the World?

In Our Own Backyard  More than 800,000 slaves are trafficked through the United States each year, primarily for sexual exploitation  Massage Parlors, Adult Clubs, and other legalized organizations front for illicit prostitution and sex slavery  Extremely pervasive on the West Coast as well as in major cities throughout the Midwest  The largest amount of sex slaves are trafficked annually through Ohio itself, Toledo being the sex trafficking capital of the Western Hemisphere.

Snapshot: Nice, France

Sex Trade in Nice  Influx of North African and Eastern European Girls  Offered jobs and stability in the tourism market in Nice  Trafficked and sold to pimps and brothels in the Airport District of Nice  Controlled by Russian Mafia, which has ties into every aspect of Nice: police, government, etc.  Looks like prostitution, which is legal, but girls are forced into sex labor and are often underage

What Can We Do?  Awareness  Largest criminal industry in the world today thrives due to secrecy and lack of interest from major world power  Advocacy  Write to, campaign for, and support legislators, government officials, and agencies that are actively supporting human rights and the end of modern day slavery  Advancement  Join the cause of an active society of modern day abolitionists through support, fundraising, and campaigning

Simple Ideas to Make an Impact  Post videos, posts, or images to your Facebook account    Host a Slavery Day at the High School  Wear shirts, hang posters, get the facts out  Chain yourselves to the flag pole outside as a students come to school to show them the reality of slavery today.  Use Class Projects as a means of raising awareness  Talk to your teachers about presentations, group projects, etc.  History, Language Arts, Foreign Languages, and many more subjects can directly relate to the human trafficking issue

For More Information  Not for Sale (Human Trafficking in general)   Go to the student involvement section for great resources  International Justice Mission (Sex trade and forced labor)   Excellent source for resources and ways to get involved politically  Invisible Children (child soldiers)   Limited focus, but an excellent resource for understanding one facet of human trafficking