Why Are We Facing a Modern Slavery Crisis?

 by Flixy C

In 2021, it was estimated that there were 50 million people living in slavery, nearly one in every 150 people. Of this figure, 28 million were believed to be involved within enforced labour and 22 million within forced marriages. However, the word slavery creates images of men and women imprisoned in ships crossing the Atlantic, being sold in markets across the Roman empire or general ideas of shackles. Historians and experts have calculated that there were a total of 13 million people captured and sold between the 15th and the 19th centuries, this would mean that today's figure is nearly 4 times the total number of slaves across the three centuries. So, why are we facing a modern slavery crisis? 

The modern day definition for a slave is a person who is forced to work against their will and are brought/sold as property in inhumane conditions. Of the 28 million people believed to be enslaved within forced labour, the majority of them work in the private sector which could involve involvement in cleaning, clothing industries or construction jobs. Approximately 4.8 million of these people are believed to be exposed to sexual exploitation and 4.1 million exploited by their own governments. An additional 15.4 million people are estimated to be a part of a forced marriage. The majority of these figures consist of females specifically concerning sex exploitation where they comprise 99% of the sex industry. China, Iran, Russia, DRC, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia and India are where 60% of all slaves are kept today. 

One of the reasons as to why slavery is increasingly prevalent is the money which it generates. It is believed that slave traders today earn x30 more than what they would have done in the 18th and 19th centuries. Globally, the slave trade generates up to £116 billion every year, over a third of this figure is created by developed countries. One of the reasons for such a high profit is the technology available to traders, allowing them to have access to travel and technology for low costs. 

Another factor which contributes to the modern day slavery crisis is the global increase in conflicts. The UN believes that many of those involved in conflict turn to slavery and human trafficking “to show they have control over the community, or to increase their force, either recruiting child soldiers or giving sex slaves as a reward for their recruitment.”  

The increased demand for goods and services also leads to a greater demand for cheap labour often resulting in slavery. Large companies seek to minimise cost while maximising profits but in turn create environments where the conditions their employees are working in are conditions where forced labour occurs, for example sweatshops such as Shein.   

Approximately 600 million people live in extreme poverty globally and as this figure rises, more and more people become vulnerable to both human trafficking and slavery after being put into desperate situations where they are more likely to be coerced into exploited labour, another factor contributing to the modern day slavery crisis. 

Some experts believe that slavery could be eradicated for good but it would require large amounts of research, funding and a desire from the people and governments to face the issue. The reasons why we are facing a modern day slavery crisis are endless and although this article has only briefly summarised a few hopefully it has highlighted how slavery is not a thing of the past.