The Impact of Slavery

Unfortunately, to this day, slavery is still a major worldwide issue that is often overlooked. Slavery is defined as someone who is forced to work, treated as a commodity, and owned or controlled by an employer through physical force or mental manipulation.

Modern-Day Slavery Around the World

Modern-day slavery exists in every country in some form or another. Sweatshops, prostitute rings, and domestic work are a few examples of the enslavement of men, women and even children. According to the International Labour Organization, around 21 million individuals are forced into slavery each year around the world.

Modern-day slavery is especially desirable for businesses because it is cheaper than having to pay a salary and benefits for employees; using slave labor costs on average of $90 per person. Additionally, there are no regulations, so employers can make up their own rules on how to treat their workforce. Sadly, many imported products used every day by U.S. citizens are made in sweatshops or by slave workers. Many outsourced workers, even if they are not necessarily forced into work, typically have limited options for employment, are underpaid, work in poor conditions, and have no rights as employees.

The Impact of Slavery

The impact of slavery is evident in nearly every aspect of our lives. “Slaves harvest cocoa in West Africa, and it ends up in our chocolate. Slaves make charcoal in Brazil, which is used to run smelters that make steel for our cars. Many food products and raw materials are tainted by slavery—such as tomatoes, tuna, shrimp, cotton, diamonds, iron, sugar, and gold.” – Free The Slaves

Bringing an end to modern-day slavery is a fight that has been in progress for centuries. While modern history shows that the amount of enslaved individuals is less than any other time in history, the fight still continues for complete redemption and freedom for all people around the world.

A Call to Action

This month, PURPOSE Jewelry is teaming up with Free The Slaves to call people to action. Free the Slaves is a global movement dedicated to freeing slaves and putting an end to slavery once and for all.

This organization goes hand-in-hand with the work PURPOSE and iSanctuary are doing to free and empower survivors of modern-day slavery. This summer we launched The Academy with the intention of providing holistic care to survivors, as well as education, health, community support, and income. The Academy not only gives freed individuals a chance bring something back to their communities to inspire further change but also enables the women to take ownership of their own lives and futures.