Every year, December 2nd is recognized as the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, a day to call for an end to modern-day slavery. While there is no definition, it is an umbrella term for exploitative practices such as forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking.
The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery began in 1986, when the U.N. strengthened its awareness campaign for combating modern-day slavery. This came after their efforts to rid the world of slavery in the 1940’s.
By 2002, the UN was able to designate the entire year of 2004 for this purpose. Furthermore, the International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted a protocol which went into effect in November of 2016 to strengthen global efforts to eliminate forced labor, which is legally binding.
Team Anna recognizes the struggles that all those affected by modern-day slavery still face today, around the state, country and world. Whether it be forced labor, forced marriage, debt bondage, and human trafficking, Team Anna will remain dedicated to fighting for all of our collective freedoms. We know that no one can be considered free, until all of us are free!
Here are resources in Central Florida that are dedicated to fighting against modern-day slavery in Central Florida:
- Samaritan Village: Samaritan Village has maintained one of the largest recovery homes for female survivors of human trafficking for the last five years in Central Florida. Having a faith based, holistic, and trauma-informed program, they made it their mission to help each woman heal mentally, emotionally, and physically.
- The Lifeboat Project: The Lifeboat Project has been providing help, awareness and education to end human trafficking in Central Florida. The project provides services to empower victims by providing counseling, housing, and a variety of other services to help them achieve healthy independence.
- United Abolitionists: They are a network of first responders to the human trafficking crisis, founded here in Orlando. Part of their mission is providing education and training to our community including awareness, prevention and demand, and focusing education on the root causes of the modern slave industry.
- The Children’s Campaign: The Children’s Campaign is a Florida-based program that aims to combat the human trafficking problem in Florida. They have helped push policies to stop human trafficking and continue to do so.
- Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking: They are a nonprofit organization created by the Florida legislature aimed to support the statewide effort to end human trafficking through funding, support, and assistance.
- Strategic Alliance to Fight Exploitation in Central Florida (SAFE): SAFE is a nonprofit alliance of purpose driven partners that produce and fund anti human trafficking solutions in Central Florida.
- University of Central Florida Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery: The Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery seeks to expand the understanding of human trafficking in a comprehensive, interdisciplinary context, and search for solutions through coursework, research, distinguished speakers, student fellowships, survivor scholarships, partnerships, international professional exchanges, and community engagement.
- Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking: The coalition’s mission is to improve and provide outreach and services to victims of human trafficking throughout the state of Florida by developing support programs, networking, coalition building, training, service delivery, and referrals to victims in need.