Modern slavery is a broad term that encompasses various forms of exploitation and forced labor, in which individuals are deprived of their freedom and coerced into working or marrying against their will. Although today’s victims are not openly enslaved as they were in centuries past, millions of people still face a more subtle form of slavery — and, for the most part, their suffering goes unnoticed.
2 December every year is International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Latest estimates by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) show that forced labour and forced marriage have increased significantly in the last five years. 10 million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 compared to 2016 global estimates, bringing the total to 50 million worldwide. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable.
The Australian Government has introduced a visa and a support programme – are aimed to assist migrant workers who experience exploitation in Australia. Exploitation takes many forms and has different names too. You may recognise words or phrases such as ‘wage theft’, ‘modern slavery’, ‘forced labour’, or ‘human trafficking’, which also describe exploitation.
Today, the Australian Government introduced legislation to establish the core functions of the Anti Slavery Commissioner. Modern slavery encompasses a range of serious exploitative practices, such as trafficking in persons, deceptive recruiting, debt bondage, forced labour and forced marriage.