Slavery is a bigger problem now than when it was ‘abolished’ — and it’s happening here

Slavery.

The word conjures images of people in leg irons.

We think of the abolitionists who toiled centuries ago in lands far away to abolish this horrific practice.

Yet two things should shock us.

First, slavery is more common today than when it was “abolished”.

In fact, there are more slaves now than at any time in human history.

Secondly, our region — the Asia Pacific — is home to about half of the world’s 45.8 million slaves.

Slavery is grounded in human exploitation, just as it has always been.

The difference is that modern slavery now has numerous different…