December 20, 2008

MORE SLAVES ON THE PLANET THAN EVER

THIS SHOCKER VIA HUFFPO:

21st-century slaves: 300,000 children are in domestic bondage in Haiti.



A World Enslaved By E. Benjamin Skinner

There are now more slaves on the planet than at any time in human history. True abolition will elude us until we admit the massive scope of the problem, attack it in all its forms, and empower slaves to help free themselves.

Standing in New York City, you are five hours away from being able to negotiate the sale, in broad daylight, of a healthy boy or girl. He or she can be used for anything, though sex and domestic labor are most common. Before you go, let’s be clear on what you are buying. A slave is a human being forced to work through fraud or threat of violence for no pay beyond subsistence. Agreed? Good.

Most people imagine that slavery died in the 19th century. Since 1817, more than a dozen international conventions have been signed banning the slave trade. Yet, today there are more slaves than at any time in human history.

WHOLE ARTICLE: FOREIGNPOLICY.COM