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Facts about
Modern Slavery
Defining Modern Slavery
People are sold as objects, forced to work for little or no pay and are at the complete mercy of their employers. There are many characteristics that distinguish slavery from other human rights violations, however only one needs to be present for slavery to exist.
Someone is in slavery if they are:
Forced to work through mental or physical threat
Owned or controlled by their employer, usually through mental or physical abuse or the threat of abuse
Dehumanized, treated as a commodity or bought and sold as property
Physically constrained or have restrictions placed on freedom of movement
Modern Slavery & Australia
The Global Slavery Index (2013) estimates that there are approximately 3,200 people currently enslaved in Australia.
Through consumerism and trade, Australia contributes to the global estimate of 20.9 million people enslaved worldwide (International Labour Organisation, 2012)
Victims are enslaved by a combination of document confiscation, threats of physical harm, violence, debt bondage, fear and their own vulnerabilities such as a lack of awareness of their rights.
Raw materials from slavery include: Cobalt, Gold, Iron, Lanolin Oil, Lead, Nickel, Pearl, Wool, and Titanium
(www.madeinafreeworld.com)
11,700,00 people are estimated to be in forced labour in the Asia Pacific (ILO Global Estimate, 2012)
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