Cost of Forced Labor to You: $20 Billion

by Amanda Kloer · 2009-05-16 09:00:00 UTC
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A recent report from the International Labor Organization (ILO) has found that the worldwide cost in lost wages of forced labor is over $20 billion dollars.  This isn't just a meaningless number, but rather money and wages being stolen from you, your family, and your community by traffickers and other criminals.

The report indicated that lost earnings as a result of coercion and abusive labor and employment practices, including withholding of wages, reached $20.96 billion for 8.1 million workers, excluding workers in legal and illegal commercial sex industries. However, the ILO estimates 12.3 million people are actually in forced labor around the world, indicating the total amount of lost wages is much higher than $20 billion.

This is, to my knowledge, the first time that anyone has tried to measure the direct economic cost of human trafficking to us- the workers and taxpayers.  When a trafficker is exploiting the labor of a worker, this rob that individual of wages, and also robs other individuals who may have competed for that job of wages.  The trafficker more often than not doesn't pay taxes on those wages or his income either.

So if you've ever thought that forced labor and slavery doesn't directly affect you, think again.  Traffickers are stealing from you- over $20 billion dollars.  I say it's about time for us to ask for our money back.

Image from stealingdan.co.uk

Amanda Kloer is a Change.org Editor and has been a full-time abolitionist in several capacities for seven years. Follow her on Twitter @endhumantraffic
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