International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

"Slavery - that finished ages ago, didn't it?"

Well, actually no!

DID YOU KNOW?

• An estimated 40.3 million people are in modern slavery, including 24.9 in forced labour and 15.4 million in forced marriage.
• There are 5.4 victims of modern slavery for every 1,000 people in the world.
• 1 in 4 victims of modern slavery are children.
• Out of the 24.9 million people trapped in forced labour, 16 million people are exploited in the private sector such as domestic work, construction or agriculture; 4.8 million people in forced sexual exploitation, and 4 million people in forced labour imposed by state authorities.
• Women and girls are disproportionately affected by forced labour, accounting for 99% of victims in the commercial sex industry, and 58% in other sectors.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Loving God,

who sees the unseen and notices the unnoticed,

help each of us to hear the Hidden Voices of those

who pray for release from slavery.

We pray for those who work to end exploitation and trafficking

that they (and we) be strengthened in resolve to free your people.

We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN

(Adapted from prayer by The Rt Revd Dr Alastair Redfern, Chair of The Clewer Initiative.)