Modern Day Slavery

Many people think that slavery does not exist anymore.  However, they would be incorrect.  Slavery still exists around the world, even in the United States.  Human trafficking is estimated to be the third largest international crime industry.  There are between 14,000 and 17,000 people in the United States who live as a slave.  Human trafficking is defined as the transportation of people by threatening or the use of abuse.  Slavery is when somebody completely controls the actions of another person.  Human trafficking is happening all around the world, and few people are aware of it.  

Each year there are approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people trafficked across international borders.  Slavery is also not the same as it was 100 years ago.  In 1809 the value of a slave was estimated to be worth approximately $40,000 in today's economy.  However, in 2009 the value of the average slave was estimated to be about $90, a significant decrease in the value of slaves.  President Barack Obama recently declared January to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.  Obama did this in an attempt to raise awareness about human trafficking and put an end to slavery.  Chattel slavery is a form of slavery in which people literally become the property of another.  

When you eat a chocolate bar it is more often then not because of an enslaved child who works to harvest cocoa.  Chocolate most likely starts in a plantation in West Africa.  At these plantations, child slaves are used to harvest the cocoa for chocolate.  Chocolate is the product of child slavery in Africa.  I bet you will think twice next time before you buy a chocolate bar from the store.  To think that the candy that we enjoy the most began because a child slave in Africa harvested the cocoa used to make the chocolate.  

Slavery is not legal anywhere but it happens everywhere.  People are participating in an illegal act around the world the denies people basic human rights.  There are approximately 27 million slaves around the world today.  Slavery is illegal, yet 27 million people are enslaved and denied basic human rights that all people should be granted.  Human trafficking is considered to be the modern day slave trade.  The slave trade was supposedly abolished.  Instead the name of the slave trade was changes to human trafficking.  




Information for this blog was found on the following websites:

• http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=34
• http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/category/in-the-news/
• http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/category/the-facts/
• http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/category/life-in-slavery/