MODERN SLAVERY

In the wake of the unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, I find it difficult to condone the wanton violence and destruction that has followed.

Whilst it is absolutely right that we must protest against excessive force and victimisation by the authorities and law enforcement agencies against black people we must also recognise, and aim to resolve, peacefully, the wider issues within our society. To a great extent this has become a ‘black or white’ issue but it is not as simple as that.

With the calls for the toppling of statues such as that of Colston in Bristol, there has been a focus on our past abhorrent behaviour. Slavery can never be acceptable, but we must also acknowledge the part that the compatriots of those countries in which we slave-traded played in aiding and abetting our actions.

In moving forward, we must not forget that slavery still exists, with an estimate of over 136k in the UK alone. Because the majority of those in servitude do not have a different colour skin to the white majority, we tend to turn a blind eye to the issue of modern slavery.

It takes many forms, including debt bondage (where a person is forced to work for free to pay off a debt), child slavery, forced marriage, domestic servitude, sexual exploitation and forced labour.

Much modern slavery isn't visible to the public, taking place in private homes and farms.

It is not until the occasional incident hits the headlines that we take notice, just for a minute or two, until the importance of our own lives once again takes precedence.

Every time we choose to shop for cut priced goods, such as fish flown in from Thailand, use a Vietnamese nail bar, or have our cars cleaned by those obliging Eastern Europeans we are choosing to ignore what may be all the signs of modern slavery.

Yes, we must not allow discrimination of any kind to exist in our society but all the while we choose to focus on past mistakes and the colour of people’s skins we are doing a gross disservice to many, many others who continue to suffer, and who deserve our protection from these gross miscarriages of justice.