美国有线新闻 CNN 报告称全球有4000多万现代奴隶制受害者

报告称全球有4000多万现代奴隶制受害者

Slavery is officially illegal in every nation on earth. But that hasn't stopped it from happening. We've reported that there have been more slavers worldwide in recent years than there have been at any time in human history.

How many exactly? It's impossible for governments to know for sure. It's a crime slave traders want it to stay hidden, different studies have different definitions for slavery. There aren't reliable statistics.

But there are estimates, and there's a new report out on the issue that was produced by a United Nations Labor¹ Rights Agency, and an international volunteer group working to end slavery. It indicates that as recently as last year, there were more than 40 million victims of slavery worldwide and one in four of them were children.

The largest part of modern day slavery, according to the report, is made up of people who are forced to work. There are an estimated 25 million slaves in forced labor, most of them are threatened or pressured to work on farms, in construction and manufacturing, in mining and other businesses. Almost 5 million are in forced prostitution. In addition to that, the report says more than 15 million people worldwide were victims of forced marriages.

In terms of where people are enslaved, the continent of Africa accounts for most of the world's slaves, followed by Asia and the Pacific region, then Europe, and finally the Americas.

Many of these slaves are migrants, people who leave their home countries, fleeing dangerous conditions or looking for somewhere better to live.

CNN recently found evidence of the ongoing² slave trade in the North African nation of Libya. The country has struggled with political and stability since a civil war broke out there in 2011. Its security situation has gotten worse. Its living conditions have gotten worse. And it's become a major hub for migrants and refugees who are trying to get across the Mediterranean³ to Europe.

1 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。