A question that urgently needs an answer
It also serves as a call to action; Matthew Friedman, an expert on human trafficking and modern slavery, explains
Human trafficking, modern slavery – these are terms and issues I never thought I’d use and write about in The Super Charmed Life. (Mostly because I look at it as a relatively light lifestyle site.)
But here I am. And here I will.
It’s all thanks to Matthew Friedman, a global expert on human trafficking and modern slavery. His book, Where Were You? A Profile of Modern Slavery, was introduced to me by the other authors I’ve recently featured.
Matt has almost 40 years of experience working as a programme head, researcher and frontline responder (among many other roles) at organisations such as USAID and the UN, as well as the US State Department, NGOs and the private sector.
He has worked in over 40 countries, and lived in Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand and Hong Kong. He’s met countless survivors of human trafficking and slavery, and chronicled their experiences.
So hear Matt out. It all sounds serious and ominous, but I think you’ll end up appreciating this post a lot.
Because I want to make sure I get things right, let’s begin our chat with Matt by defining human trafficking and modern slavery. And then we can go from there.
What and why
“Human trafficking and modern slavery are phrases that are often used interchangeably,” Matt says. “But there are differences in their meaning.”
• Human trafficking
“The ‘human trafficking’ phrase was chosen to address the problem because in the early days (1990s), many cases had a victim going from one country to another. For example, girls would be tricked and deceived into going from Nepal to Indian brothels. Because of this movement, ‘trafficking’ as a terminology was chosen. For example, ‘drug trafficking’ usually requires drugs to be moved from one country to another before they are sold. In this case, ‘trafficking’ equates movement of something. For ‘human trafficking’, it is the movement of human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation.”
• Modern slavery
“The phrase came much later. While many trafficking cases happen across borders, many frontline workers argue that there were also many cases where a victim went from one district (within a country) to another, or from one part of a city to another, where the outcome was forced labour. They argued that the phrase used should focus on the exploitation, not the movement.
“When they tried to come up with a phrase that captured the essence of the topic, ‘slavery’ kept coming up. Why? Because if a person is held in place without pay, this is the closest word. But since slavery was something that people said happened a long time ago, they added the word ‘modern’ to redefine what slavery is today.”
• Human trafficking/modern slavery
“Human trafficking/modern slavery is when victims, who can be found in factories, construction sites, within fisheries and sex venues, are forced to work for little or no pay, deprived of their freedom, and often subjected to unimaginable suffering.”
• What human trafficking and modern slavery is not
“… is exploitative work, in which a person is cheated but can leave the situation whenever they wish (voluntarily). In human trafficking/modern slavery, this option does not exist. A person is held in place with debt or threats.”
Enlightening
You can learn more about the intricacies of human trafficking and modern slavery in Where Were You? A Profile of Modern Slavery. In the book, Matt outlines his journey and experiences in the field since 1991, as well as his thoughts and recommendations for hopefully putting an end to these two issues.
You’d think some things would’ve changed in all that time, but no – not really. When I asked Matt to share with us the five things he wishes people knew about human trafficking and modern slavery in 2022, his replies sound familiar and unsurprising. Or is it just me?
#1 Slavery is alive and well
“There are over 40 million people in modern slavery. There are more slaves today than any other time in history. Only a small percentage of them are helped annually,” he says.
#2 These issues happen everywhere
“They do not only occur in less developed countries. For example, there are over 700,000 victims in the US. There is no country in the world that doesn’t have this problem.”
#3 Anyone can be a victim
“Many people feel that only poor ignorant migrants are trafficked. I’ve seen cases of girls from middle-class homes and educated tech people being trafficked. Modern slavery prevention should be a part of what we educate and inform people about.”
#4 This isn’t someone else’s problem
“We as a world need to understand that it is all of our responsibility to address this problem. We can’t rely on NGOs and governments to fix this. We must all take a stand, say this is unacceptable, and do what we can to be a part of the solution.”
#5 We as human beings should care about these issues
“Every day, 25,200 people enter modern slavery somewhere in the world. This is just not right. It must stop.”
So what now?
It’s not too late to do something, even if it’s a “small” thing.
However, you haven’t even gotten to the hard parts yet. (Wait till you read the survivors’ stories in the book.) How do you feel so far, hearing Matt explain what’s been happening? I’ll tell you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you said “sad”, “mad”, “hopeless” and “full of despair”.
In fact, I told Matt that there’s this negative and pessimistic side of me that thinks these issues will never be fully resolved even if we help because… humans. We are fickle, we have different agendas, we are greedy and selfish – take your pick. Yikes.
“One of the biggest barriers that prevents us from putting a dent in human trafficking and modern slavery is very low awareness,” he says. “This is why I wrote the book and why I do so many talks on the topic each year.”
Do his talks make a difference? Based on the feedback he gets, the answer is yes.
“Over the years, I have made countless presentations on the topic of human slavery for audiences of five to 1,500 participants. These audiences meet at schools, corporations, churches and libraries. In Hong Kong, there was one year where I presented to nearly 20,000 people. I’ve learnt a few basic lessons about my audiences.
“Most people to whom I speak know little about human slavery. Probably fewer than 10 per cent of the people knew even a quarter of the information I shared. If you don’t know about a problem, you can’t care about it. If you don’t care, you won’t act. If you don’t act, how can we expect our results to improve? Thus, the world’s awareness must become a major priority. Everyone must hear the urgent message: Slavery is alive and flourishing today.
“Once knowledgeable about modern slavery, most people actively care,” he emphasises. “Almost all are shocked to learn that slavery is so prevalent in this world, with millions suffering in terrible conditions at home and abroad.”
Addressing my negative and pessimistic side
Sorry about that. I know there are so many things we can’t control, so it’s important to focus on the things we can control – like our mindset and actions. We can look to Matt, who manages to stay positive and on-track, as an example. Because it turns out that I’m not alone.
“A recurrent issue I often face when doing this work is the fatalistic view that modern slavery problems are too overwhelming and pervasive to tackle,” he observes.
“The disparity between 40 million victims and only 100,000 people rescued causes a certain amount of stress for an activist like me who wants to see more significant change.
“I sometimes ask myself, ‘With so many victims, it seems impossible to make a difference. Why should I even try?’ This question arises again and again in my mind.”
His response? “I remind myself that every life is important – every life is precious.”
So don’t think about the numbers; if you can help one person, it would “make all the difference to that one” person. And it’s a start.
“The human slavery problem feels so big and so unmanageable that it can easily shut us down emotionally,” Matt acknowledges.
“But this mustn’t stop us from doing whatever we can with what we have. To each person rescued, it makes a very big difference. The world gains back a precious grain of humanity with every victim saved from a terrible life.
“When I work on this or any other cause, victory comes one life at a time. Eventually, the numbers will add up to something we never thought possible.”
It’s time
For the tips, strategies and advice (and any other word that encourages action). If Matt could change or add anything to what he’s said in the past – and present – about how the average person can help in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, what would they be?
• Before
“In the past, I would strive to get people to step up and do a lot of activities to help address the problem. My assumption was that after they heard about the topic, they would want to help. I would encourage them to volunteer at an NGO, raise awareness, contribute money, etc.
“At that time, I would try to convince people that they should become activists in addressing this problem. What I found was that few people are willing to make a significant contribution to this topic or any other issue.”
• Now
“What changed? I now only ask people to do one thing a year. My reasoning related to this? Doing one thing is not overly taxing. But if many people do one thing, this would really add up.
“So my approach these days is to seek simple contributions from people. This might include having a person learn about an issue and share it with others, posting articles on social networking platforms, getting them to be responsible consumers by asking them to go to a brand website to see if a company is acting responsibly, donating to an NGO, and the like.
“I consider everyone who helps, no matter how big or small the gesture, to be heroic,” he adds. “There is heroism within each and every one of us. It is a voice of good, of righteousness, of action and of love. In today’s world, this voice too often lies dormant and receives very little nurturing. This heroic part of us can rise up and face the problems of the world head-on.”
This makes it relatively easier to stay positive too. “Since doing good for others feels good, this is where the positive feelings come from. And since we are not asking people to do anything that’s dangerous or directly involved with human trafficking, there are no protection issues.” (In the book, Matt talks about the tactics traffickers use to lure girls.)
How to work with people
This is probably the most important tip and strategy of all (at least to me). If you can’t connect with people, how can you reach out to them and make things happen?
I’m interested in Matt’s answer, because he mentioned how “political” organisations can get, and how it prevents anyone or any cause from moving forward. If you’re planning to join one, or are already in one and perhaps struggling, his words might help.
“If I were able to provide advice to my younger self related to how to work with people, it would include the following,” he says.
#1 Be humble
#2 Stay away from office politics and don’t judge others
#3 Never procrastinate – our lives unfold much faster than we expect
#4 Spend time with people who are positive, supportive, encouraging and compassionate
#5 Never stop learning
#6 Don’t worry about what people think of you – walk your own path
#7 Take the time to get to know yourself
#8 Always be willing to try and fail
#9 Put as much time into your personal life as you do with your professional life
#10 Learn from your mentors
“Mentoring is an essential part of our learning,” he continues. “During my four-decade career, I have been blessed with great mentors.” It allows him to “give back” and be a mentor to others as well, which means the knowledge gets passed on.
For “human trafficking managers, frontline workers, or anyone else who wants to learn”
Matt also condenses both good and bad experiences – and what he’s learnt from them – in the last six chapters of Where Were You?, in the hopes that others might benefit from them. These are some of the “simple truths” he wants to share with them, and us too:
#1 Most of what we do to address modern slavery involves working with others
“At times, there’s a potential for drama, conflict and intrigue.”
#2 Logic, common sense and practicality are not always the keys to success
#3 What we see is not always what we get
“We must see beyond what appears to be obvious.”
#4 We should accept our mistakes with good will and a positive mindset
“… and use these experiences to process and improve ourselves.”
#5 If we go through life with a spirit of accepting the unexpected, we will seldom be surprised or feel let down
Saving the best for last
Now that Matt has given us a few tools and insights to hopefully make a contribution in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, let’s turn to two survivors’ stories. He recounts them here.
I deliberately put them in this part of the post – the almost-end part – because I think they might stay with you more and make a lasting impression. They give Matt hope in the course of his work; maybe they will do the same for you.
#1 Heena
“During my time in Nepal, there was a girl named Heena who had just returned from the brothels in India,” Matt says.
“She had been trafficked when she was only 14 into one of the most notorious sex establishments. She spent three gruelling years there before being rescued. During our interview, she talked about the terrible rapes, torture and abuse she endured daily. She suffered from a range of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
“After six weeks in one of the local shelters, her anger continued to grow. On a number of occasions, she vowed to the shelter staff that she would travel to the northern villages, which had produced many victims, in order to share her story. She said she was determined to prevent any more Nepalese girls from ever experiencing the same terrible ordeal she had endured.
“Several counsellors tried to talk Heena out of her decision. They warned that a young girl shouldn’t be travelling alone in the hills of Nepal. They cautioned that her health would decline. Undeterred by these statements, it was clear that nothing was going to get in her way. Realising that we couldn’t change her mind, we asked if she’d agree to travel with a companion. After much persuasion, she finally allowed a male social worker to accompany her.
“Over a six-month period, Heena traveled throughout Nepal, telling her story. In each village, she’d locate the centre square where she’d sit down and begin recounting her story. At first, there would be five or six people listening. Then others joined. At the end, many of the villagers appeared shocked and horrified by her emotional testimony. Others cried when they heard the fate of so many young girls.
“At the end of each talk, someone would inevitably raise their hand and say, ‘What can we do to protect our young girls?’ At this point, the social worker would say, ‘I am glad you asked that question. Down the road, at another village, we talked about this and came up with a plan to start a neighbourhood watch. At the village before that, they decided to put in place a school registration system.’
“The nice part about this approach was that solutions were identified on the spot. Many suggestions could be put in place with little or no effort. The community’s participation in the process ensured that the suggestions remained relevant to their own cultural and traditional needs.
“Heena’s courage helped prevent others from experiencing her fate. She continued her travels until she grew too sick to go on.”
#2 Gita
Parts of this retelling are excerpts from the book. Matt shares Gita’s story often, and for good reason.
“The reality of the immense challenge we face in addressing the human trafficking issue came home to me years ago when I met a girl named Gita. She was a 15-year-old teenager from Nepal who was trafficked into a brothel in India and systematically raped thousands of times during a two-year period. At the time, I was living and working in Nepal, where I was researching a book on the plight of sex slaves trafficked between Nepal and India. I visited shelters for trafficking victims throughout the country.
“While nearly all of the girls I approached agreed to tell me their personal stories, one girl, Gita, repeatedly declined my requests for an interview. But during all of my interviews with other girls in her shelter, she sat and listened to everything being recounted. On the last day, Gita said she had changed her mind – she would give me an interview. Over the next three hours, she gave one of the most gut-wrenching testimonials I had ever heard. It was filled with a terrible mixture of love, life, deception, rape, torture, murder, betrayal and disease.
“At the end of the interview, I sat there speechless. I finally remarked, ‘Wow, you must be so angry at the traffickers for all of the terrible things they did to you.’ Instead, Gita replied, ‘No, I am not angry at the traffickers. I am angry at you!
“‘Where were you when I was in that terrible brothel? I sat there every day waiting for someone to come and save me. I knew that everything happening around me was illegal and wrong. Where were you and everyone else when I needed you? And why are you still sitting here?’
“‘I am not angry with the traffickers. They are just bad people doing what they do – bad things. I am angry with the good people – society, you! Where were you? Why does no one care?’”
That’s a good question
And it gives rise to many others.
“That day, a survivor spoke for herself and so many others. She called us out, asking a fundamental question: Why doesn’t the world care enough to stop this crime against humanity? It’s a profoundly relevant question then, and remains so today,” Matt says.
“So is any one of us responsible for Gita’s plight? Is there a direct relationship between the terrible things that happened to her and our own lives? The answer is a resounding ‘no’, but who should bear the responsibility? Her parents? Her community? The police? The government? If this systematic abuse has continued for generations with little change, something must be done.
“For me, the sense of responsibility I felt was clear. I was facing a ‘wrong’ right in front of me. Over and over, a voice in my mind shouted, ‘Help them!’ I eventually listened.
“For many of us, this or other issues have a similar impact. We feel compelled to take a stand because everything in our being says we should. It is up to each of us to turn away or listen. It is a personal choice we must make.”
Hence it is only fitting to end the post on this note, and for Matt to leave us with a question he’s been asking right from the beginning: Where were you? Or better yet, where are you?
Find Matt here and on Twitter. Matt is also the CEO of the Mekong Club – a non-profit in Hong Kong that provides training and tools to businesses so that they can become human trafficking- and modern slavery-proof. Where Were You? A Profile of Modern Slavery is available for purchase on these sites.