Emma Dorothy Reinhardt

About the author: Emma Dorothy Reinhardt is the managing director of the American Anti-Slavery Group, a grassroots organization founded in 1993 to combat slavery around the world.

International slave traders lure poverty-stricken foreigners to the United States with promises of employment and better living conditions. However, once they arrive in America, these impoverished foreigners are forced to work for little or no pay, are beaten, raped, and starved, and are told they or their families will die if they run away. Until recently, slave traders and slave owners who were caught served minimal prison sentences. However, the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 strengthened penalties for infractions and increased protections for victims. The new legislation, combined with greater community awareness, may reduce the problem of slavery...