* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
The constant barrage of negative images is not only misrepresentative of the experience of slavery, it is also disempowering
At this Wednesday’s Trust Conference, Freedom United will launch a pledge, which aims to address a challenge to the anti-slavery effort that is often overlooked.
That challenge is the lack of care or thoughtfulness to the way in which stories are presented, modern slavery is represented and images are selected.
The ‘My Story, My Dignity’ Pledge asks individuals and organisations, including companies, institutions and others, to make a pledge that if realised, would shift a discourse thatorientates around shock value to a movement that focuses on empowering change.
Right now sensationalisation is all too pervasive. A simple image search of ‘human trafficking’ brings up chains, ropes, young women, behind bars,often sexualized, commodified and branded with bar codes.
Whilst sadly some cases do fit such imagery, modern slavery more often uses invisible chains of coercion. Such misrepresentation is problematic because it can prevent victims from self-identifying their own experience as a case of extreme exploitation.
Rebecca Bender, a survivor of trafficking from the US, explainsthat sensationalism in public communications can undermine survivors’ credibility. Frontline officials may fail to recognise more common experiences oftrafficking and modern slavery.
This is supported by an example given in a recent review of the UK police where a victim was returned to a property from where she was arrested, despite expressing a fear of a man there, only to realise too late that she might be a victim of human trafficking.
Failing to secure prior informed consent from survivors or considering how a published story might impact victims can result in secondary victimization and stigmatisation. This is an issue particularly for children, because of their inherent vulnerability and reliance on their peers’ opinions for their own self-confidence.
The constant barrage of negative images is not only misrepresentative of the experience of slavery, it is also disempowering. The process of rehabilitation for survivors becomes challenging and the movement doesn’t look like the right place to nurture recovery.
Good practice is not only important for individuals’ recovery but also for the success of the wider movement. To succeed, the movement must inspire action, not defeatism and disgust. Victims of slavery must be humanized, not boiled down to representations of pain and cruelty.
Crucially, if we are to end modern slavery, we must create a more welcoming space not only for victims seeking rehabilitation but also for survivors ready to take a leading role in this effort.
It’s not just about getting more people to cover modern slavery. It is about ensuring it’s the right coverage. Sign the ‘My Story, My Dignity’ pledge to show your and your organisation’s support for that goal.
