On a campus where we often find ourselves removed from the realities of the world, it is easy to remain unaware and unconcerned about issues that persist outside our own stresses of college life. Even beyond Conn’s isolated campus, it is easy to think that slavery is a thing of the past. Despite this common misconception, there are actually almost 30 million slaves in the world today.
Led by Ali Rice’15, Slavery Ends Today (SET) is Conn’s anti-modern-day-slavery club that spreads awareness and supports the movement against slavery in the modern world. Ali became involved with Slavery Ends Today at the beginning of her freshman year. Ali told Her Campus, “Throughout high school, I was involved in human rights activism and when I got to Conn I learned more about modern day slavery. I felt compelled to try to do something to raise awareness about modern day slavery and fight for the rights of enslaved human beings.”
Combating slavery today is no easy task because modern slaves “are forced to work without pay, under the threat of violence, and they’re unable to walk away. You can find them in brothels, factories, mines, farm fields, restaurants, construction sites and private homes” (Kevin Bales’ organization, Free the Slaves). Modern slaves can be found in all of the places we see every day and their roles are often those of ordinary employees, which is why it can be so difficult to distinguish those who are imprisoned.
This Thursday, November 14th, SET will be screening the documentary “Flesh” from 6:00-8:00pm in the KB Common Room and will be serving pizza! After the documentary there will be a discussion with Professor Borer. The documentary goes behind the scenes of sex slavery in the United States and brings to life the third largest criminal industry that preys upon girls, whose age of entry is between twelve and fourteen.
To reach college students about this menacing reality and gain support for the movement, SET hosts an Annual Benefit concert in Coffee Grounds in tangent with Miss Connduct (be on the look out for details!), sells Krispy Kreme in Cro, and much more! Slavery Ends Today meets on Tuesdays at 9:30 in Plant common room and new members are ALWAYS welcome.