Modern Slavery

This post is well overdue but I had a hard time grappling with the subject matter.

The UN designated December 2nd as International Day for the Abolition of Slavery to remind the world that slavery remains part of our 21st Century lives.

Numerically, there are more slaves today than at any point in history.

Let that sink in...there are more slaves today than at any point in history.

Free the Slaves estimates that 27 million people, including tens of thousands in the US, are trapped in debt bondage, domestic servitude, hard labor, or the sex trade for little to no pay beyond subsistence.

Many turn a blind eye to modern day slavery. Many fool themselves into thinking it can't be true. And some assume that slavery ended with the Civil War and rationalize that if it doesn't fit the conception of slavery they are used to (big white mansion with black folks picking cotton) then it's not reeeally slavery.

Fortunately there are others trying their hardest to end slavery once and for all. This excellent interview with Benjamin Skinner the author of "A Crime So Monstrous" describes his undercover experiences interviewing slaves and slaves traders, this article at Razoo.com documents "Five Former Slaves Who Are Changing the World", and the video below from Free the Slaves explains modern day slavery.