Imagine a world, where your daughter is forced to endure a life of slavery. One where she has no rights or a voice of her own. Enduring a life, hidden from both you as a family and the rest of the world.
Slavery can be found throughout the years, history books reflecting the torment and pain that slaves were forced to endure. But, surely, slavery has no place in modern-day society. Or does it?
“Human trafficking was recently officially labelled as the fastest growing illegal industry globally, with forced labour generating an estimated annual profit of $150 billion according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This is roughly equivalent to the sum of the top four most profitable companies as they are currently listed on the Fortune 500 list. This is why it is so crucial for consumers and businesses to actively make changes in how they spend and operate. As long as we continue to create demand, there will be a supply,” says Advocate Liechen Strydom.
Strydom is an admitted advocate in the High Court of South Africa, as well as the owner of Liberation Legal Consulting.
Since completing her LLB degree and being admitted as an advocate, as well as starting her own business, Strydom has put immense focus on counter human trafficking, with a special focus on both prevention and partnership.
During 2018, in collaboration with the Madadeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit within the SAPS, focus was placed on creating awareness amongst communities and learners within the Madadeni and Newcastle areas respectively.
But why is she and her business, Liberation Legal Consulting, putting so much effort into human trafficking?
South Africa has been rated on a Tier 2 Watchlist for the second consecutive year. This comes after being downgraded from a Tier 2 rating, in the 2019 United Nations Trafficking in Persons Report (UN TIP Report).
There are four tiers, which are Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 2 Watchlist and Tier 3. These standards are outlined in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000.
What do the tiers mean?
Tier 1 represents countries whose governments fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, and Tier 2 represents countries whose governments do not fully comply with TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
The Tier 2 Watchlist is at the same level as Tier 2, but these countries have increasing levels of criminal activity. The lowest level is Tier 3, which represents countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.
With South Africa standing at Tier 2 Watchlist, Strydom points out Section 4 (1) of the prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act 7 of 2013, which comprehensively defines human trafficking and is in line with international standards as they are contained in the Palermo Protocol.
In the act, Strydom explains that our legislation criminalises all forms of trafficking, imposing some of the harshest penalties in the world.
Other related offences are also established in the Act, ensuring various people who play a role in the trafficking process can be prosecuted.
For example, this includes people who finance the crime, confiscate the victim’s travel documents, causes debt bondage, persons who knowingly (or reasonably ought to suspect) make use of the services of trafficked victims or any conduct facilitating trafficking.
On conviction, a trafficker can receive a sentence of up to life imprisonment or R100 million fine or both imprisonment and a fine.
When looking at modern-day slavery, forced labour also comes into play. This refers to situations in which people are coerced to work through the use of violence or intimidation, or by more subtle means such as accumulated debt, retention of identity documents or threats of denunciation to immigration authorities.
In regard to forced labour, Strydom says it is sadly evident in so many sectors that every person has been affected thereby either directly or indirectly.
This is through services and supply chains, whether it is fishing, mining, agriculture, construction, sweatshops, factories, beauty salons and even in the private sector such as domestic workers.
A quick completion of the online Slavery Footprint survey (www.slaveryfootrpint.org) will show just how affected our daily lives are by asking a simple question of “How many slaves work for you?”
“This is one of those tests where you want to score zero, unfortunately, I have to date not heard of one participant who has scored zero,” says Strydom.
According to the ILO, the 11 indicators of forced labour are:
1. Abuse of vulnerability
2. Deception
3. Restriction of movement
4. Isolation
5. Physical and sexual violence
6. Intimidation and threats
7. Retention of identity documents
8. Withholding of wages
9. Debt bondage
10. Abusive working and living conditions, and
11. Excessive overtime.
With human trafficking and slavery taking place within our world, Strydom explains Liberation Legal Consulting aims to eradicate modern-day slavery (both forced and bonded labour) within the business sectors of South Africa through ethical labour practices, supply chains and trading.
She achieves this by assisting businesses to take a pro-active approach and ensuring that their services and products are free from human trafficking with transparent supply chains.
This is done by implementing counter human trafficking policies and procedures; as well as training staff on counter human trafficking in the relevant industry; assessing the relevant supply chain and providing guidance to clients thereon to ensure an ethical supply chain free from human trafficking.
With Strydom and Liberation Legal Consulting playing a role in combatting human slavery, be sure to do your part and report slavery to the relevant authorities today.
