Book review: David Batstone- Not for sale

Mention slavery and most people will think of the long abolished transatlantic slave trade. Unfortunately for a staggering number of people today slavery is not stories from hundreds of years ago they read in a history book but their daily, inescapable reality. Despite slavery being illegal around the world, an estimated 27 million people are slaves today, more than the total of the whole transatlantic slave trade. The men, women and children caught in slavery are often trafficked across borders, are often victims of physical & sexual violence and are denied some of the most basic human rights. In Not For Sale, anti-slavery campaigner David Batstone attempts to raise awareness of this huge issue. He weaves together real life stories of slaves with statistics, background information, stories of those helping free & rehabilitate slaves and information on how to contribute to the fight against slavery. The book is divided into several sections on different types of slavery prevalent in different parts of the world, notably including contemporary forms of slavery and human trafficking in America. I should warn you that some of the slave’s stories are horrific and some people may find them distressing. The book necessarily deals with some adult concepts. Please don’t let that put you off the book because it is a very important one that raises issues that need to be understood and challenges that need to be overcome. I recommend Not For Sale to all adults, particularly those with an interest in social justice.