Top 10 facts about modern slavery

MANILA, Philippines - Human trafficking is a $40 billion industry.

1) Slavery: forced to work without pay under threat of violence and unable to walk away.

2) Twenty-seven million slaves are in the world today.

3) Slavery is not legal anywhere but happens everywhere.

4) The majority of slaves can be found in India, Southeast Asia, and African countries.

5) At least 14,500 slaves are trafficked into the US each year.

6) Slaves work in fields, factories, brothels, homes, mines, restaurants-anywhere slave owners can feed their greed.

7) Human trafficking is the modern-day slave trade.

8) The average cost of a human slave around the world is $90.

9) Slave owners use many terms to avoid the word slavery: debt bondage, bonded labor, restavec, forced labor, indentured servitude, and human trafficking.

10) It is possible to end slavery in 25 years. Everyone has a role to play, government, business, international organizations, consumers — and you.

—from www.freetheslaves.net