In what ways can religion be a driver of modern slavery and/or human trafficking, as well as a means of challenging it?
DRIVER
CHALLENGER
Modern Slavery
Human Trafficking
Argument
Umbrella term, encompassing human trafficking, slavery, servitude and forced labour
Trafficking means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of the threat or use of force
NOT synonomous with modern slavery
NOT synonymous with human trafficking
In INBETWEEN-religion simultaneously drives and challenges trafficking and modern slavery
Dominance of Christian organisations in the anti-modern slavery and human trafficking domain. Use of words like, freeing, rescuing, saving and restoring-Christianised terms. Is this good?
Yes using religion to help, does religion provide the comfort, the hope to survivors?
But is using religion to help survivors ethical? Are there ulterior motives?
An underlying factor in exacerbating modern slavery and human trafficking
"Trafficking will not end until states takes steps to modify cultures that allow women and girls to be viewed as commodities to be trafficked"
"Buddhist teachings have the potential to oppose and condemn practices of sexual slavery as well as to justify and legitimate them"
Helping Survivors of HT
Religion can play a role in helping people overcome trauma and to come to terms with what they have experienced.
Salvation Army. An Evangelical Christian Church and faith-based organisation.
Fears of profiting-are they trying to convert people. Conservative attitudes towards sexuality and gender identity-risks creating negative environment for trafficked people
Public facing work-secular, no explicit mention of faith on website. Common for FBOs carrying out publicly funded work to hide their fate identity. Separation of faith activities from their professional/publicly funded roles. Boundaries between the religious and the secular are porous (penetrable).
What are the different types of human trafficking
What are the different types of modern slavery