The shocking number of slaves in the world’s richest countries
08 June 2016
Fight for freedom
According to the latest Global Slavery Index, there is estimated to be a total of 45.8 million people living in modern slavery across the world. And they are not just in the world’s poorest places, as these sobering figures show.
New Zealand: 800 slaves
Roughly 0.02% of the total population of New Zealand (4.5 million) is enslaved by forced labor, human trafficking, child exploitation and forced marriage – a high majority of which are migrants.
Denmark: 1,000
Around 0.02% of the 5.7 million people living in Denmark are estimated to be victims of modern slavery, many of which are young children who are sold to Denmark from impoverished countries to participate in crime, prostitution or both.
Australia: 4,300
Modern slavery in Australia is commonly seen in factories in the garment, technology, domestic work and food production industries, but it is also apparent in drug, sex and human trafficking. Approximately 0.02% of the 23 million living in Australia are subject to these living standards.
Cyprus: 4,700
Cyprus is a popular holiday island, but is also a destination for a number of women from Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Philippines for sex trafficking purposes. A slightly higher percentage of 0.4% of the country’s total population (1.2 million) are victims of this and other types of modern slavery.
Canada: 6,500
It’s estimated that around 0.02% of people living in Canada (36 million) are trafficked and used for sexual and labor exploitation. Of these, Canadian women and girls are trafficked internally for prostitution, but many migrants are also forced to enter the country legally then subjected to forced labor in the likes of sweatshops, or as domestic servants.
Finland: 6,700
Although it’s illegal, human trafficking still persists in Finland as it is both a transit and destination country for women and girls trafficked from counties across Eastern Europe, China and Thailand, as well as those who are passing through to get to other areas of Europe and the United States. Its population is relatively small at around five million, and these victims are estimated to account for around 0.12% of the population.
Spain: 8,400
Many reports have highlighted that one of the main forms of exploitation in Spain comes from the thousands of migrants who are used to grow salad vegetables in illegal working and living conditions, such as shacks made of old boxes with no sanitation or access to drinking water. Roughly 0.02% of the 47 million people living in Spain are subject to this kind of slave labor, as well as prostitution.
United Kingdom: 11,700
The projected number of slaves in the UK has been taken from a range of cases such as Vietnamese children who have been locked into city apartments to grow cannabis and Albanian women and girls being exploited in the London sex industry. Approximately 0.02% of the 65 million people living in the UK have their human rights violated by this kind of modern slavery.
France: 12,000
There are around 66 million people living in France, roughly 0.02% of which are considered to be modern slaves. Although prostitution forms a large part of this trade, it also encompasses domestic slavery and minors who are forced to work as beggars and thieves to help criminal organizations.
Portugal: 12,800
Brazil’s historical links with Portugal has led to a number of people falling victim to human trafficking from Brazil to Portugal. As well as many of these migrants being exploited for both sexual and labor purposes, many Roma children are brought into Portugal with the sole purpose of forced begging. Around 0.12% of the 10 million people living in Portugal are classed as slaves.
Germany: 14,500
Many victims of modern slavery in Germany are sourced from other countries, such as other parts of Europe and Africa, where they are trafficked for both sexual exploitation and labor. According to research, around 12% of victims are typically younger than 18 years old and are exploited in bars and brothels for sexual purposes, or in the catering and agriculture sectors for labor. Germany’s population stands at around 81 million, meaning 0.02% are slaves.
Netherlands: 17,500
Known for its red light district in Amsterdam, the Netherlands has a history of legal prostitution but some people are forced into the industry. Many of these victims are trafficked by so called ‘pimp boys’ or ‘lover boys’, men who force young women and girls to become prostitutes. Men are also trafficked into forced labor in the catering and agricultural sectors. These slaves are estimated to make up 0.1% of the 17 million population.
Bulgaria: 29,000
Bulgaria, which is another popular vacation country, is often a transit, source and destination for sex trafficking victims. The amount of these victims accounts for around 0.4% of the population, which stands at around seven million.
Czech Republic: 42,600
The primary cause of modern slavery in the Czech Republic is sexual exploitation and forced prostitution among young men and women from Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Bulgaria and Brazil. Many of the victims – 0.4% of the 10.5 million population – pass through the country en route to destinations such as the Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Greece: 44,200
Greece, much like the rest of Europe, is both a destination and transit for women and children who have been trafficked for sexual purposes. Reports have also shown of the 0.4% of Greece’s overall population (11 million) who are slaves, many are young males who are victims of sex trafficking from Afghanistan and sub-Saharan Africa.
United States: 57,700
The majority of enslavement cases in the US are considered to be linked to the broader definition of human trafficking, such as forced marriage and child marriage. Other cases include labor trafficking in industries such as agriculture, traveling sales crews, restaurants/food service and health and beauty. These cases involve approximately 0.02% of its 320 million population.
Tunisia: 85,000
Although Tunisia is marginally more prosperous than its neighboring countries due to tourism, the Arab slave trade still persists. There are now around 0.8% of people living in Tunisia (11 million) considered to be modern slaves.
Italy: 129,600
A common form of enslavement in Italy is that of Roma children being forced to beg, while men are trafficked for the purpose of forced labor in the agricultural parts of the south. These victims constitute 0.21% of the 61 million people living in Italy.
Brazil: 161,100
Some 0.08% of the 208 million living in Brazil are forced into prostitution overseas, as well as being trafficked internally for forced labor – something that is notably common among men and young boys.
Argentina: 175,500
Many victims of sexual exploitation are sent to Argentina and are trafficked within the country, from rural areas to urban centers, for forced prostitution. Some Argentine women and girls are also trafficked to neighboring countries such as Mexico and Western Europe for commercial exploitation. Around 0.4% of the 43 million people living in Argentina are victims of this kind of enslavement.
Poland: 181,000
Many men and women are trafficked from Poland to other countries such as Italy, Austria, Sweden and the Netherlands for sexual exploitation. As many as 0.5% of the 38 million people living in Poland are considered to be working in these conditions.
Peru: 200,500
Approximately 95,000 slaves were brought into Peru in the mid-1800s but today people are still forced to work. The number of modern slaves now accounts for 0.64% of its total population (31 million).
South Korea: 204,900
Around 0.4% of the 50 million people living in South Korea are considered modern slaves. Women and girls in particular are trafficked within the country, as well as to other countries such as the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
South Africa: 248,700
The total number of slaves in South Africa is considered to be high due to instances of forced marriage, prostitution, debt bondage and forced labor within the general population. There are a total of 55 million people living in the country, with 0.45% categorized as slaves.
Japan: 290,200
Many people considered to be modern-day slaves in Japan are foreign women, who have fallen victim to trafficking upon migrating to Japan to seek work, but have later fallen into debt, making them vulnerable to sexual or labor exploitation. There are over 127 million people living in Japan, 0.23% of which are trapped in this lifestyle.
Colombia: 308,200
Many women and girls are sourced from Columbia and trafficked across the world for prostitution and forced servitude. Of the 48 million living in Colombia, around 0.64% are estimated to be living in modern slavery, some of which are also men who have been trafficked for forced labor. But trafficking women and children from rural to urban areas for sexual exploitations remains the biggest problem.
Mexico: 376,800
With a population of just over 127 million, around 0.3% of people living in Mexico are tricked into situations that cause them to be trafficked for sexual exploitation. Many men and women are lured by false job offers from poor rural regions to urban and tourist areas.
Thailand: 425,500
Slavery and trafficking is high among the Thai fishing industry, despite many arrests linked to human rights abuses. Of the 68 million people living in the country, 0.63% are considered to be modern slaves.
Turkey: 480,300
Turkey is a major holiday destination, but is also often a transit country for women and children trafficked for prostitution. Others are working under forced labor. The percentage of slaves in the country now stands at 0.63% of the total population (77 million).
Russia: 1,048,500
In terms of surface area, Russia is the largest country in the world, and has fought to reassert itself as a world power. But during this, over a million of its citizens have fallen victim to modern slavery. This equates to 0.73% of the overall population (143 million).
China: 3,388,400
Given China’s population stands at over one billion, the overall proportion of those living in modern slavery is notably lower at 0.25%. But China is infamous for its slave trade, particularly human trafficking, forced marriage and the kidnapping of children who are forced to work in brick kilns.
India: 18,354,700
Despite its growing wealth, India has the largest amount of people living under modern slavery in the world – more than the population of many Western countries. But in proportion to the size of its country (1.5 billion), 1.4% live in these conditions, which is still considerably lower than North Korea. People are affected by all forms of modern slavery, including bonded labor, forced child labor, sexual exploitation, forced begging and forced marriage.
North Korea, the country with the highest slave population: 1,100,000
One of the most secretive countries in the world, North Korea is still under nominally communist rule and there is a high proportion of people working under forced conditions. Due to the size of the country, North Korea has by far the highest percentage of slaves, accounting for 4.37% of the total population (25 million).
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