A new report estimates that 17,500 people are ‘modern slaves’ in the Netherlands, working as forced labourers or victims of sexual exploitation. The Global Slavery Index, created by Australian human rights organisation the Walk Free Foundation, claims 45.8 million people ‘are subject to some form of modern slavery in the world today’.
It ranks 167 countries based on the extent of their suspected slavery problem, putting the Netherlands in 50th place of 52. Slaves are defined as people who are exploited but cannot leave due to threats, violence, coercion or abuse of power. Slavery in the Netherlands – estimated at 0.1% of the population – is suspected in the construction, agriculture, transport, sex and catering industries, as well as amongst people forced by criminals to beg.
