Welcome to the Freedom Fund’s monthly bulletin designed to bring you new and compelling research from the global anti-slavery movement.
Xinjiang’s agricultural products continue to taint global supply chains
The International Network of Critical China Studies reports that 90 European- and US-based companies import or source products made from tomatoes, peppers, marigolds, and stevia grown in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China, often through international subsidiaries based in Southeast Asian countriespapers.cfm?abstract_id=5053281&mc_cid=119b78086c&mc_eid=UNIQID. Based on a review of state policy and publicly available documents, XUAR accounted for 38% of China’s tomato exports, valued at $634.16 million, with Italy being a top export destination. Furthermore, XUAR represents 2.7% of China’s pepper exports and 8.1% of China’s total plant extract exports globally.
Male trafficking survivors face barriers to accessing mental health services
A systematic review led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine highlights the mental health consequences for young male survivors of human trafficking and the challenges they face in accessing services. The study reviewed 31 publications focusing on 11 countries and identified common symptoms such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and issues with self-esteem and self-control. The assumption that male survivors do not need assistance was found to lead to inability to identify concerns or even rejection of boys from services. The study also highlighted reasons that boys and young men do not seek services, such as confidentiality concerns or lack of trust.
Illicit massage businesses trap homeless immigrant women in exploitation
A study led by Colorado State University examines the link between homelessness and the exploitation of women in illicit massage businesses (IMBs) across the U.S. Based on an analysis of 280 law enforcement raid incidents from 2002 to 2022, the authors identify 1,629 known cases of women who were sexually exploited in IMBs, with 1,551 (95%) of them being from China, Korea, or Thailand. The study revealed that the women exploited in IMBs were most often homeless and lived in the facilities of their exploiters, hidden from the public eye. The authors present a profile of trauma proliferation for survivors, as well as identify risks to victims in their recovery and cultural integration.
Demand for brides and sexual services for Chinese men fuelling trafficking in Myanmar
The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) sheds light on the trafficking of Myanmar women into China for forced marriage or sexual exploitation in cyber scam centres. Of 187 participating female survivors, 31 were girls under 18 who had dropped out of school during the Covid-19 pandemic. Most women (85%) were recruited into trafficking in person, with promises of jobs in China or near the border, with the remaining 15% recruited via Facebook or WeChat. While forced marriage was the primary demand of this trafficking scheme, ten survivors were trafficked into cyber scam centres and entertainment facilities run by Chinese gangs in the autonomous regions within Myanmar, either for forced scamming or sexual exploitation. The report found that majority of traffickers were women, including women who had themselves been trafficked for forced marriage in the past.
Evidence of child labour risks in India’s cotton supply chain
Transparentem describes labour conditions on cotton farms in the Khargone and Barwani districts of Madhya Pradesh, India, through interviews with 151 workers and 66 farm owners. The study identified instances of child labour on 40 out of 90 farms, in violation of India’s Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act. Many children younger than 14 were exposed to highly hazardous pesticides and missed school to work on the farms. Several workers reported receiving less than the minimum daily wage of 246 rupees (USD 2.85), trapping them in a cycle of debt and compelling them to bring their children to work. The report also includes a detailed analysis of two cotton industry supply chains in India and identifies strengths and weaknesses associated with their ability to monitor labour conditions.
Read on
A study by the University of Bath argues that rescue operations often harm workers and return them to exploitation, based on the lived experiences of 31 informal sector workers in India.
UNICEF explores the child-centred anti-trafficking approaches employed by Italy and Turkey, facing significant regular and irregular migration flows in recent years.
A study by the University of Nottingham suggests that housing plays a key role in social and economic vulnerabilities associated with modern slavery.
Freedom Fund news
Comics by PositiveNegatives illustrate how people in Brazil and Nepal without official documents can be driven into exploitation and modern slavery.
Visit our Newsroom for more updates.
Research library
Visit our Slavery Research Library to access anti-slavery resources from across the globe.
Contact
The Slavery Research Bulletin is produced monthly by the Freedom Fund, a global fund with the sole aim of helping end modern slavery.
Research being featured in this bulletin does not equal endorsement by the Freedom Fund.
Click here to sign up to the Slavery Research Bulletin mailing list.
Photo credit: Angelov / Adobe stock