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Human Trafficking: More than Slavery and Forced Prostitution

Matt Friedman, CEO of The Mekong Club discussed modern human slavery at Asia Society Hong Kong Center on January 22, 2015.

HONG KONG, January 22, 2015 — On this evening, international human trafficking expert Mr. Matt Friedman from the Mekong Club, talks about the age old crime of human trafficking – but with a modern take.

As Friedman suggests, “When most people think about human trafficking, they only think about forced prostitution” - which he admits is part of a public’s skewed truth of human trafficking. However, he lists other cruel and lesser forms of human trafficking such as slave boats and sweat shops from Thailand, the Middle East’s ISIS and Boko Haram organizations etc. As an active advocate of human rights, Friedman recollects his many encounters with the trafficked victims and shared their chilling stories.

“Human trafficking, is a place where misery thrives” Friedman remarks, who also pointed out the alarming statistics that 35.8 million people are forced into slavery globally. This is equivalent to the population of Canada, and Friedman claims there are more slaves now than any time in the past.

Although human trafficking is a complex issue, Friedman is optimistic about the power of collective action. Finally, he urges the need to spread awareness and remember the relevance of other people’s sufferings to our own personal material comfort.

Event information: Modern Human Slavery: An Update

Video: Watch the complete program (1 hr., 12 min.)

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