Stepping into the lives of men and women who until recently were slaves requires the gentlest of steps.
The experience of enslavement—forced labor without pay, constant threat of violence, and no hope of escape—burns deeply, leaving wounds that take a long time to heal.
From poor and often illiterate Thai farmers to women forced into prostitution; from men forced into slavery in Brazil’s brutal charcoal industry to entire families trapped as forced laborers in Pakistani feudal brick kilns; Dozens of slaves were met and photographed.
A slave to the food chain. It was a country founded on the abolition of slavery, but there are at least 40,000 slaves in the United States today. In the opening episode of Slavery: A 21st Century Evil, Al Jazeera’s Ragh Omar examines slavery in America’s food chain.
sex slave. There are an estimated 1.4 million sex slaves in the world today, and international trade is increasing.
Bonded slave. It was a form of slavery passed down from generation to generation that enslaved millions of people.
Child slaves. Today, there are at least 8.4 million child slaves worldwide, many of whom are used as forced labor.
Charcoal slaves. Poor men from northern Brazil are often lured to remote camps where they are used as forced labour.
Bride slave. A new form of slavery – bride bondage – is rife in India at a time when economic inequality and rampant corruption are fueling widespread poverty. Women and young girls are sold to men for as little as $120, who often abuse them.
Prison slaves. Over the past 20 years, China has become the world’s largest exporter of consumer goods. But behind this seemingly successful story lies a dark secret – millions of men and women are imprisoned and forced to perform strenuous manual labor.
