Slavery ended when the North won the Civil War, is a thought that runs through many people's minds but the sad truth is, it was never completely eliminated. Even after slavery became illegal in 1865, there's still an estimated of 60,000 slaves in America alone. A humans rights group, the Walk Free Foundation estimated that there are almost 36 million slaves worldwide and nearly 5.5 million of them are children. Many Americans are unaware of this issue that's sweeping across the nation. It does still exist and something needs to be done.

There's more to slavery than we all think, including human trafficking and child labor. Courage Worldwide is an organization that's taking action and building Courage Houses in many different places to provide a safe place for rescued children and help restore their lives. Unfortunately, the internet adds to this growing issue. A group called “Free the Slaves” said 98% of the victims are girls and women. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has estimated that around 100,000 kids are involved in child prostitution every year. The average age of child prostitution is 12-14 years old in the U.S.  says the Trafficking in Persons Report 2014.

These girls and women are scarred not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Human trafficking is the second largest growing industry according to the U.S. Department of Justice. So far the best solution to this problem is the homes that Courage Worldwide are building. Kids who go through this often take at least 4 years to recover  according to trauma specialists.

The number of children involved in child labor increased by 46% between 2009-2014 in the Ivory Coast according to a study done by Tulane University. As the demand for certain goods go up, so does the number of children being forced to work. Over 3 million kids are sold each year says Precious Fruit Ministries. Poverty, lack of enforcement, and limited access to education all play a big role in child labor. Fair Trade is an organization that is working to help decrease the amount of child labor and eventually completely eliminate it. They make and sell products that help promote working conditions that are safe and healthy. With the money they raise, they help reduce poverty for farmers and help kids get the education that they need.

People being unaware of these problems cause them to increase tremendously. Do a little bit of research and see if the products are coming from places that allow child labor before going to the store. Places that allow or support slavery produce products like cotton, cocoa, tuna, sugar, and tomatoes. The next thing people can do is donate or volunteer at an organization that is working towards the end of child labor or human trafficking. The money donated will go towards things like education and helping major places get out of poverty.  Small things like spreading the word and bringing awareness to the problem can do so much. People don't even realize how bad the issue really is, but something needs to be done. By taking small steps and working together, this issue can decrease and maybe even someday be completely eliminated.