Debt bondage is a form of unfree labor where workers are enslaved by employers through the use of debt. It is prevalent worldwide and can be difficult for victims to break free. It is linked to human trafficking and can also be related to sexual slavery. Dealing with debt bondage is complicated and can be frustrating for regulators.
Debt bondage is a form of unfree labor in which a worker is in debt and uses the labor to pay the debt. Also known as bonded labor or debt bondage, debt bondage is a significant problem worldwide. It is possible for multiple generations of a family to be enslaved by debt bondage, and it can be very difficult for victims to break free.
The origins of debt bondage are ancient. Numerous cultures have had versions of feudal, contractual, or servitude systems in which people of a lower social class are enslaved by employers through the use of debt. In debt bondage, a worker is promised opportunities in exchange for a small debt that can be paid off. It is not uncommon for misleading tactics to be used, such as claiming that one month’s work will pay off the debt, at which point the worker can be set free. Once the worker is under contract, the employer can abuse the terms and potentially hold the worker in bondage for life.
Domestically, debt bondage is particularly prevalent in Southeast Asia. Bonded workers go into debt for housing, food, clothing, and medical bills, as well as taxes for not completing work on time or making mistakes. The workers cannot pay off the debt because it grows more and more. They are also not allowed to work for other employers, ensuring they cannot earn money to pay off their debt by working elsewhere. A person in bondage who wishes to marry and raise a family will also have to pay taxes to do so, increasing the debt and providing the employer with more workers in the form of spouses and children.
It is also possible to see debt bondage linked to human trafficking. In these cases, people are promised opportunities in a new country. They are often lied to about the nature of the work they will be doing. They accept a loan from the person making the arrangements and pay for travel documents, travel expenses, food, water and other necessities. When they arrive in a new country, they are told they have to pay off their debt and quickly learn that the debt will take much longer than expected to be repaid.
In human trafficking cases, people in debt bondage may not even know which country they have been taken to. They don’t speak the language and therefore cannot ask for assistance from people they meet. Such workers may also be confined to keeping the authorities and labor advocates unaware of their existence.
While not as common as is sometimes suggested in the media, debt bondage can also be related to sexual slavery. Some people may pursue a career in prostitution because they believe they can offer an opportunity, while others may be duped into the promise of work as cleaners or farm labourers. Once imprisoned by an “employer”, there is no choice but to work.
Dealing with debt bondage is a complicated matter. In some nations, caste and other social stratifications make it difficult to deal with unfree labor practices. In human trafficking cases, trying to track down and help people with no identity can be frustrating for regulators.
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