Why We Walk

A Disturbing Reality

History books tell us that slavery was abolished in the 19th century. What those books do not tell us is that slavery has reappeared in our lifetime, with the disturbing reality that there are 27 million slaves in the world today. To help understand this reality, consider the following:

• Slaves are those forced to work without pay under threat of violence and unable to walk away.
• Human Trafficking is slavery.
• There are more people enslaved today than the total number of slaves removed from Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.
• There are more slaves alive today than people living in Australia and New Zealand.
• 15+ million are enslaved bonded laborers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. A loan as small as $20 can enslave a family for several generations.
• 50% of slaves are children — enslaved in countries such as Indonesia (700,000), Brazil (559,000), Pakistan (264,000), Haiti (250,000) and Kenya (200,000).
• 1.2 million children are sex slaves.
• 70% of slaves are women.
• At least 14,500 slaves are trafficked into the US each year.
• Slaves perform simple, non-technical work such as agriculture, mining, carpet and clothing making, brick-making and prostitution.
• You likely buy products that have included slave labor in the supply chain, from the grocery store and mall to the car dealer.

Disposable People

Not only has modern slavery outdone the old slavery of the 18th and 19th centuries in regards to size and scope, but it also has thrived on a love for profit and disdain for the value of life. In the old slavery, slaves were a long-term investment, costing anywhere from $40,000 to $80,000 adjusted for inflation. It was in the slave owner‘s best interest to keep their slaves healthy and productive. And for this investment in a slave, the owner might make a 5 percent profit every year.

Modern slavery has turned that equation on its head. Due to an enormous supply of poor, vulnerable people, slaves can be bought very cheaply. A slaveholder is able to buy a slave like you or I might buy a new rake at the hardware store; buying the cheapest one knowing that if it breaks you can just come back and get another one. Instead of slaves being human investments requiring care and upkeep, modern slaveholders purchase people as tools, for an average of $90, to be used until they break — at which point they are disposed of. And for this investment a modern slaveholder can make between 50 percent profit per year for bonded slaves up to as much as 800 percent profit per year on a sex slave. With profit like that it is less expensive for a brothel owner to dump on the street a slave that is sick or has HIV than to buy her medicine. Girls in Thailand can be enslaved by the age of 12 and kicked out onto the street dying of AIDS by the age of 16. Seen in this light, it is understandably why Kevin Bales, one of the founders of the modern abolitionist movement, characterizes modern slaves as “disposable people.”

Beauty from Ashes

This disturbing reality of disposable people is not the way it has to be. We can work together to abolish slavery in our lifetime. We can learn to identify and find slavery, in our own communities and around the world. We can work to free those currently enslaved. We can work to prosecute or penalize those who profit from slavery, from individuals or investors to governments or multinational corporations. We can work to provide aftercare for those freed from slavery, bringing health and wholeness out of sickness and brokenness, teaching new skills that will help move them from disposable to indispensible. We can work to prevent people from ever becoming enslaved, educating the poor and vulnerable before they come under the power and control of a slaveholder.

We can help end slavery in our lifetime. The question is whether you will be a part of it.

About Free2Walk

On July 3rd, 2010 we invite you to join us in walking a 2.7 mile course through Denver's City Park to both give voice to and help the estimated 27 million people enslaved today. During the walk you will learn more about various facets of modern-day slavery and read the stories of sex-slaves, child soldiers, brick packers, and cocoa pickers - along with a "Take The Next Step" tent offering real time actions for individuals and families to do. The walk will conclude with time for participants to mingle among sponsor tables and enjoy a program of recognition for top fundraisers, prizes and a short music concert from the band shell on the lake.

In addition to walking and learning, participants are encouraged to raise donations with all of the proceeds going towards Not For Sale projects to prevent, combat or restore individuals affected by trafficking and slavery. Please take time to read about the various work Not For Sale is doing throughout the world.

Not For Sale Projects

Slavery Statistics

References

Bales, Kevin. Disposable People: New Slavery in the Global Economy 2004.
Batstone, David. Not For Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade - and How We Can Fight It 2007.
Free The Slaves