Slavery 101
(Click on the organisation logos to go to their resources pages)
Tearfund have a great resources page. If you scroll most of the way down to the Protect section, you’ll find a link to the short 6 page paper called “An Introduction to Human Slavery Tearfund NZ” by Rev Frank Ritchie.
If you’re up for something a little more substantial then you should definitely check out the Mekong Club’s awesome document called “Modern Slavery: An Introduction – Resource Guide”. It may have a bit of an awkward title, but it is the best introduction we know of out there. Find it on their Tools page under the topic “Understanding modern slavery”.
A21 are very big on educating people about modern day slavery, and sex trafficking in particular. They have put together a variet of curriculums you can download from their “Education” page, and use to teach anyone over the age of 13 about this growing global issue.
The Prescha Initiative started in 2010 by some friends in New Zealand who felt compelled to take a stand against human trafficking. They’ve done some amazing work over the years that you can read all about on their website, which also includes an impressive array of resources about slavery here and overseas on their “Educate Yourself” page.
Hard Analysis
If you love facts and figures then you’ll want to check out the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report, issued by the U.S. Government in June each year. It includes an impressive amount of country by country detail on what is happening with regard to legislation and prosecutions, pretty much everywhere!
Another excellent resource is the Global Slavery Index, which is put out regularly by the Walk Free Foundation. This provides a country-by-country ranking of the number of people in modern slavery, as well as an analysis of the actions governments are taking to respond, and the factors that make people vulnerable. If you want charts, they have them by the bucketload!
Fun Ways to Learn
You’ve probably heard about your carbon footprint, but have you ever wondered what your slavery footprint is? Well, now you can find out, and learn a whole lot about how your lifestyle choices impact on vulnerable people around the World.
Digital Media and Books
Sex Trafficking
Nefarious: Merchant of Souls “is a 2011 American documentary film about modern human trafficking, specifically sexual slavery. Presented from a Christian worldview, Nefarious covers human trafficking in the United States, Western and Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia, alternating interviews with re-enactments.” – Wikipedia. Vimeo has the full documentary available for hire.
God in a Brothel by Daniel Walker. This non-fiction book is the gripping true story of an undercover investigator’s experiences infiltrating the multi-billion-dollar global sex industry to rescue trafficking victims and bring the traffickers to justice. This is the book that prompted us to start Traffick JAM. It will change you.
Slavery in the Chocolate Industry
Most Easters we run a bit of an awareness campaign about slavery in the chocolate industry.Some years we hold screenings of documentaries, which in the past have included the following…
The Dark Side of Chocolate and Shady Chocolate. In these two documentaries, produced a few years apart, journalist Miki Mistrati travels between the headquarters of large chocolate companies in Europe, and the Ivory Coast in East Aftica, to investigate allegations of child slave labour on the cocoa plantations where most of our chocolate comes from. Both of these are available for free on YouTube.Watch them to discover why your chocolate decisions matter!
The Chocolate Case is the fascinating and often hilarious story of three Dutch journalists, who try to persuade large corporations to end the use of child labour in the chocolate industry. When they got nowhere with that they decided to take matters into their own hands by creating the world’s first slave-free chocolate bar. And that’s how Tony’s Chocolonely came into existence!Register as a Serious Friend on the Tony’s Chocolonely website and you can watch the film with English subtitles for free.
Worker Exploitation in New Zealand
The Human Trafficking Research Coalition published the first research into worker exploitation in New Zealand in December 2016. This was the result of a three year research project undertaken by Dr Christina Stringer from the University of Auckland. The research confirms worker exploitation in dairy, horticultural, hospitality and international education industries throughout New Zealand for the first time. The Coalition published 11 recommendations as part of the report asking the government to urgently act and address issues raised in the report.
Access the Report
Other Resources on Slavery in New Zealand
You can’t see it if you’re not looking: Sex trafficking in Aotearoa New Zealand – Natalie Thorburn – PhD Thesis
Access Report
The New Zealand section of the Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report from the U.S. Government
Access Report
The Catch – How Fishing Companies Reinvented Slavery and Plunder the Oceans – Book by Michael Field
Find Out More
Transcript of a 2017 interview with Christina Stringer and representatives from LIFT and Child Labor Free
Access Transcript
The Prescha Initiative
– Resources page
NZ’s Role in Fuelling Slavery Overseas
“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want.” – Anna Lappe
The 2019 Ethical Fashion Report – Tearfund New Zealand and Baptist World Missions Australia
Access Report
NZ Slavery Case Files
People are often surprised when they hear that slavery occurs in New Zealand. So to back up this claim we’ve started putting together a library of cases that have made it into the news over recent years. We’ll keep adding more as we compile them.
Samoan slaves in Hawke’s Bay orchards
13 victims between 1994 and 2018. Trial still in progress.
Get case file
NZ’s first people trafficking convictions
16 Fijian victims over 18 months. First guilty verdict in September 2016. Released on parole after 3 yrs 2 mths.
Get case file
Restaurant to brothel thru debt bondage
15 Thai women forced into prostitution in 2001. Prior to law change, so police failed to prosecute.
Get case file
NZ trio lure Thai women into sex slavery
1999 undercover investigation by British journalists. No charges ever laid.
Get case file