Slavery is a system in which human beings are the property of others.[1][2][3] Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation. In some societies it was legal for an owner to kill a slave. In others it was a crime to kill a slave.[4]
The number of slaves today remains as high as 12 million[5] to 27 million,[6][7][8] though this is probably the smallest proportion of the world’s population in history.[9] Most are debt slaves, largely in South Asia, who are under debt bondage incurred by lenders, sometimes even for generations.[10] Human trafficking is primarily for prostituting women and children into sex industries.[11] It is the fastest growing criminal industry and is predicted to eventually outgrow drug trafficking.[11][12]
