Modern slavery refers to the sub-human working conditions to which millions of human beings are exposed, including forced labor, sexual servitude, trafficking in persons, imposed marriages and child labor. It implies the theft of work done by millions of people who would otherwise obtain earnings, and the denial of victims’ rights to fully participating in the political and social life of society.
This definition was offered by James Cockayne, director of the United Nations Center for University Policy Research, during an interview with teleSUR.
A report from the U.S. State Department states that trafficking in persons, trafficking in human beings, and modern slavery are general terms used to refer to actions taken to recruit, house, transport, supply or obtain a person with the intention of obliging them to perform forced labor or sexual acts, using force, fraud or coercion.
According to a study by the Walk Free Foundation(WFF), more than 400,000 persons in the U.S. live in modern slavery conditions.
This is a phenomenon that appears to be growing uncontrollably in the country, where trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual servitude and exploitation has become a lucrative business.
Nonetheless, as opposed to what many think, the majority of victims of sexual trafficking in the United States are not women brought to the country against their will. In fact, eight of every ten are U.S. citizens, BBC reports, adding that many are enslaved with the use of drugs and tattooed as pieces of merchandise, property of their exploiters.
The BBC notes that one major problems is that they are often misidentified as women offering sexual services of their own will.
Inter Press Service (IPS) has reported several high profile cases recently of trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the United States.
One of these is that of mega-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who suspiciously committed suicide in police custody, awaiting trial on federal charges for directing a sexual trafficking operation involving underage girls and adolescents.
Another incident involved 16 members of the U.S. Marine Corps, who on July 25 were arrested on charges of trafficking in drugs and illegal transportation of undocumented Mexican immigrants.
As the COVID-19 epidemic ravages the nation, the FBI reports that its child exploitation and trafficking in persons unit is investigating several cases involving exploiters who “promote” their victims to attract clients.
ABC television news aired a report citing traffickers in New York who announce in their advertisements that the women they are exploiting, many underage, are virus-free and willing to wear face masks and gloves.
This pattern has been noted repeatedly, as reported, for example, by News4Jax in Jacksonville, Florida, where the sexual services trade has continued operations despite the epidemic and exploited women, in general, have no other means to pay for food and housing.
In San Diego, reports indicate that sexual trafficking generates illicit earnings of close to 810 million dollars a year; second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable illegal business.
Girls and women are particularly vulnerable, representing 99% of the victims exploited in the sexual industry and 58% in other sectors.
The U.S. government should use taxpayers’ money wasted on campaigns defaming other countries, to combat and resolve serious problems within the nation; give up efforts to discredit others and focus on the shameful realities within their own society to which they turn a blind eye.
