"27 million slaves, no plantation. 27 million slaves, all different races."~Tenth Avenue North, "For Those Who Can't Speak
Around the world, 27 million people are enslaved, many in the sex trade. To put that number in perspective, that figure is close to the entire population of Texas, the second largest state in America both in terms of area and population. If every one of those slaves held hands, they could completely encircle the globe. It's really quite a big deal, and keeps getting bigger. Estimates are that at least 17,500 people are brought into the United States each year to be enslaved, with some estimates running as high as 60,000. In every country in the world, slavery is illegal, so correct statistics are difficult to find. Which means that there might be many more slaves than anyone knows about, and that is a scary thought. No one should be forced into working for someone else without compensation, which is why slavery was outlawed in the United States in 1863.
Some of the other statistics are also frightening. Many of the slaves from other countries are young men and women seeking a new life in the United States, and are enticed here with promises to have that. Then when they get here, they are made to work to pay off the debt of bringing them to America, and often the employer has them keep working for little to no pay long after the debt has been paid. Also, citizens can be brought into the sex trade as young as 13 or 14 years old. These young women are often expected to make a certain amount of money or have sex with a certain number of men each night. Any profits from their work go directly to their pimp, leaving them with no compensation for the shame they must endure nightly. Nights after major events are horrible for this, especially the Super Bowl. For this reason, seductive ads during the Super Bowl have started to really grate on my nerves because I know the price some women are paying afterward.
So what can we do about it? We can refuse to stay silent about what we know. The reason human trafficking is so prevalent is that it is hidden, so few know what's going on. The more those of us who know about it speak up, the more people will know what's happening. That's the goal Tenth Avenue North is pursuing with their new song "For Those Who Can't Speak." They have quite a following and quite a platform, and they are using it to speak up for those trapped in slavery who can't speak up for themselves. Here is the music video for their song:
My platform is much smaller than theirs, but I too am joining the fight and speaking up. We may not completely eradicate slavery, but we can at least make people aware of it, and awareness is the first step in tackling anything.
Around the world, 27 million people are enslaved, many in the sex trade. To put that number in perspective, that figure is close to the entire population of Texas, the second largest state in America both in terms of area and population. If every one of those slaves held hands, they could completely encircle the globe. It's really quite a big deal, and keeps getting bigger. Estimates are that at least 17,500 people are brought into the United States each year to be enslaved, with some estimates running as high as 60,000. In every country in the world, slavery is illegal, so correct statistics are difficult to find. Which means that there might be many more slaves than anyone knows about, and that is a scary thought. No one should be forced into working for someone else without compensation, which is why slavery was outlawed in the United States in 1863.
Some of the other statistics are also frightening. Many of the slaves from other countries are young men and women seeking a new life in the United States, and are enticed here with promises to have that. Then when they get here, they are made to work to pay off the debt of bringing them to America, and often the employer has them keep working for little to no pay long after the debt has been paid. Also, citizens can be brought into the sex trade as young as 13 or 14 years old. These young women are often expected to make a certain amount of money or have sex with a certain number of men each night. Any profits from their work go directly to their pimp, leaving them with no compensation for the shame they must endure nightly. Nights after major events are horrible for this, especially the Super Bowl. For this reason, seductive ads during the Super Bowl have started to really grate on my nerves because I know the price some women are paying afterward.
So what can we do about it? We can refuse to stay silent about what we know. The reason human trafficking is so prevalent is that it is hidden, so few know what's going on. The more those of us who know about it speak up, the more people will know what's happening. That's the goal Tenth Avenue North is pursuing with their new song "For Those Who Can't Speak." They have quite a following and quite a platform, and they are using it to speak up for those trapped in slavery who can't speak up for themselves. Here is the music video for their song:
My platform is much smaller than theirs, but I too am joining the fight and speaking up. We may not completely eradicate slavery, but we can at least make people aware of it, and awareness is the first step in tackling anything.
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