Equality & Diversity
The ‘Abolition of Slave Trade’
What is slavery?
Some of the more common characteristics of slavery include being forced to work through the use of mental and or physical threat. Some people are often ‘owned’ or controlled by an 'employer' and held under duress and suffer from physical, mental and sexual violence. They are dehumanised, bought and sold as 'property', and often physically constrained or restrictions in his/her freedom of movement or thought.
Past
In 1805 the House of Commons passed a bill that made it unlawful for any British subject to capture and transport slaves, but the measure were blocked by the House of Lords. In February of the following year 1806, Lord Grenville alongside his Foreign Secretary Charles Fox and William Wilberforce who was also a strong opponent of the slave trade came together. Fox and Wilberforce led the campaign in the House of commons, whereas Grenville, took on the House of Lords to persuade both to accept the bill. When finally the vote was taken the Abolition of Slave Trade bill was passed in the Lords by 41 votes to 20. In the Commons it was carried by 114 to 15 and it became law on 25th March 1807. This did not stop the British slave Trade in fact it wasn’t until 1833 that parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act under pressure from anti-slave campaigners such as Thomas Clarkson and Thomas Fowell Buston.
Present
There’s no doubt it’s very important to celebrate and embrace the bill which we will be doing by putting on an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the ‘Abolition of the Slave trade’ but we also need to remember that slavery in its modern form exists today and impacts on millions of people across the world.
What types of slavery exist today?
Bonded Labour: This affects millions around the world, bonded labour is where people are tricked into taking loans and are forced to work to repay their debts.
Child Labour: There is an estimated 126 million children across the world forced into child slavery to help provide for their families or pay off debts. They work in dangerous places for very if no pay are subject to on-going physical, verbal and sexual abuse.
Trafficking: Human Trafficking is a global reality, and effects men, women and children. People are deceived and threaten into forced labour, slavery across contents, nations and boarders.
Early and Forced Marriage: Women and girls are often married without consent and go onto to live a life in servitude and face physical, psychological and sexual abuse.
Slavery by Descent: Often people are born into a slave class or are viewed by their society as suitable for the use of slave labour.
PLEASE SUPPORT THE STUDENT UNION BY ATTENDING AND GETTING INVLOVED IN THE ‘ABOLITION OF SLAVE TRADE’ EVENT
Friday 23rd March
The Atrium Kedleston Road
For more information contact sukhi.kainth@udsu.co.uk
