A shocking recent report has found that more than 40 million people worldwide are living in some form as modern slaves, including 400,000 in the US.
The report by human rights group Walk Free Foundation concluded that roughly one in 800 Americans work under conditions amounting to forced labour, reports CBS News.
Auckland mother jailed for turning daughter into sex slave
- Auckland mother jailed for turning daughter into sex slave
- Exploitative bosses putting NZ's anti-slavery reputation 'at stake' - business leaders
Modern slavery, according to United Nations standards, refers to any situation where an individual is unable to leave, which can include everything from sex work, to forced marriage, to workplaces where workers are not granted their basic employee rights.
Most modern slaves are those subjected to forced conditions in Asia, according to the organisation's Global Slavery Index, with one in 10 people living in such a manner in North Korea.
Human rights researcher Davina Durgana told CBS News many North Korean modern slaves were political dissidents sentenced to hard labour.
While the US may have a large number of modern slaves, it is also one of the leading countries in tackling the issue, only behind the Netherlands in implementing effective policies to deal with the issue.
Ms Durgana says consumers should consider how products they buy are sourced, especially when buying cocoa, fish, clothing and electronics, which are often made through forced labour.
Newshub.
