They called it therapy. It was modern slavery
By E llie Finkelstein, Freedom United
January 18th, 2026
News Digest
OUR CAMPAIGN ISSUES IN THE NEWS
| Forced labor New forced child labor case underlines the trouble with “troubled teen” programs A Missouri faith-based “troubled teen” program faces a federal lawsuit alleging abuse, coercion, and thousands of hours of forced child labor. Survivors describe religious manipulation, isolation, and lasting psychological harm—echoing a familiar pattern of exploitation in similar residential programs. Show more… |
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| Prison slavery Slavery adapted to modern laws, labor systems, and global markets Slavery abolition laws focused on ending legal ownership, not the exploitative economic systems behind it. That gap allowed forced labor to reemerge in forms that were technically legal, harder to see, and easier to defend—with forced prison labor being one of the clearest modern continuations of slavery. Show more… |
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| Law & policy Europe’s reinterpretation of human rights fuels human trafficking European governments urged the Council of Europe to narrow human rights protections, prioritizing deportation over protection. By recasting migrants as security threats, the move weakens safeguards, drives people underground, and undermines anti-trafficking principles—creating conditions where modern slavery can thrive. Show more… |
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| Rehabilitation & liberation Modern slavery survivors say current anti-slavery efforts aren’t working |
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| Supply chain Damning evidence shows major companies are failing to tackle conditions that enable modern slavery |
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 | Ellie FinkelsteinFreedom United |
