Forced Labor

Forced labor is a type of modern slavery in which individuals are forced to work against their will, typically under threat of violence or other forms of coercion. Forced labor can take many different forms, such as labor trafficking, debt bondage, or forced marriage. Forced labor is often characterized by exploitative and abusive conditions, such as long hours, little or no pay, and poor health and safety standards. Forced labor is a global problem and affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is condemned by international law and is a violation of human rights.

Court Rejects Claim That Wife Was Civilly Responsible for Her Husband’s Raping Other Women
| |

Court Rejects Claim That Wife Was Civilly Responsible for Her Husband’s Raping Other Women

From today’s decision by Judge Jeffrey Helmick (N.D. Ohio) in Doe 1 v. Gupta: On March 19, 2020, Manish Raj Gupta was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a) and (b)(1), and one count of illegally dispensing a…

Northwestern Cheerleader Sex Trafficking Suit Survives Motion To Dismiss
| |

Northwestern Cheerleader Sex Trafficking Suit Survives Motion To Dismiss

EVANSTON, IL — A former Northwestern University cheerleader who says she suffered sexual assaults and sexual harassment at the hands of wealthy donors to the athletic department can continue her lawsuit against the university and several current and former school officials. Harden Richardson, 24, joined the cheerleading team in 2018 after transferring to Northwestern as…

Forced Labor Continues in Colorado, Years After Vote to End Prison Slavery  – Bolts
| | | |

Forced Labor Continues in Colorado, Years After Vote to End Prison Slavery  – Bolts

Throughout Abron Arrington’s decades-long incarceration in Colorado, he often found himself in solitary confinement—not because he was causing trouble, but simply because he refused to work. He didn’t see the point given he was paid 13 cents an hour and figured his time could be better spent learning physics. Before Arrington was incarcerated in 1989,…

Transportation Subject to Multiple Threats by a Range of Actors, DHS Warns – HS Today
| |

Transportation Subject to Multiple Threats by a Range of Actors, DHS Warns – HS Today

The 2024 threat assessment from the Department of Homeland Security says domestic and foreign adversaries likely will continue to threaten the integrity of U.S. critical infrastructure—including the transportation sector—over the next year, in part because they perceive targeting these sectors would have cascading impacts on U.S. industries and the American way of life. “From attacks…

Malaysia Penalizes 400 Companies in 2023 for Labor Offences
| |

Malaysia Penalizes 400 Companies in 2023 for Labor Offences

TEMPO.CO, Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia has taken action against 400 companies so far this year for violating labor laws, state news agency Bernama reported, citing Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar. The ministry’s labor department issued fines totaling 2.17 million ringgit ($463,000) against 272 employers, while the courts fined 128 employers a combined 242,000 ringgit, Bernama cited…

Office of Attorney General’s Symposium at Temple University Sheds Light on Labor Trafficking
| |

Office of Attorney General’s Symposium at Temple University Sheds Light on Labor Trafficking

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General recently hosted its first annual symposium on labor trafficking, which brought together attorneys, law enforcement, social workers, advocates, and community members to share information on the signs of labor trafficking, and to collaborate on prevention and responses to it. The event at Temple University Beasley School of…

Right-wing group warns of ‘surge in human trafficking,’ despite lack of local cases
|

Right-wing group warns of ‘surge in human trafficking,’ despite lack of local cases

Editor’s note: this is an example of news / commentary in America.  A conservative women’s group rallied nearly 100 people last month to raise the alarm about the growing threat of human trafficking to local children — despite a dearth of local cases. “Human trafficking is all around us, we just don’t know it,” Alcinda…

The fiber that binds | Newberry Observer
| |

The fiber that binds | Newberry Observer

Cotton is a popular textile fiber touted as being eco-friendly since it is derived from a sustainable plant. It is widely recognized for its use in the making of fabrics for clothing, sheets and towels. Surprisingly, it is also present in U.S. currency, rope, paper, cooking oil, livestock feed and some fuels. Despite its usefulness,…

Human Trafficking in the Philippines
| |

Human Trafficking in the Philippines

Police and armed commandos in the Philippines staged a massive raid over the summer. They weren’t searching for weapons or drugs. They were looking for people. Officials believe human traffickers had lured thousands into a life of cybercrime. What do the BBC, Greece’s Education Ministry, Facebook, and the city of Dallas, Texas, have in common?…

It’s Nearly Labor Day, and Congress Has a Chance to Abolish Prison Slavery
| | | |

It’s Nearly Labor Day, and Congress Has a Chance to Abolish Prison Slavery

Johnny Perez was arrested and incarcerated two days after his daughter was born, a heart-wrenching fact by itself. Perez wanted to be there for his daughter, but he was stuck at a state prison in Coxsackie, New York. He worked hard to save money, but his prison job sewing bed sheets started at 17 cents…