Benjamin Skinner on the world of modern-day slavery

August 5, 2011

In June, the State Department released its 11th annual “Trafficking in Persons Report,” which ranks more than 180 countries on their efforts to prevent forced labor, sexual exploitation and modern-day slavery. The report is an attempt to apply diplomatic pressure to countries with lower ranks. For example, Papua New Guinea is in the lowest tier for, among other things, being a place where “tribal leaders trade the exploitative labor and service of girls and women for guns and political advantage.”

Nations with the worst records may seem to be a world away, but according to Benjamin Skinner, author of “A Crime So Monstrous” and senior fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University, their human rights violations may be linked to our lives here.

Watch the rest of the segments from this episode.

Last modified: August 5, 2011 at 3:04 pm
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Comments

  • Norma Bader

    When the gentleman was asked what an individual could do in order to avoid purchasing articles that could have slave labor somewhere in their manufacture, I was amazed that no mention was made of Fair Trade articles.  All Fair Trade is certified – and although it is possible that an item may not be 100% free of any slave labor – it is surely the best source of things like chocolate, coffee, tea, and gift items.

  • Grouperdogamo

    This breaks my heart……tears……