Responsible consumerism, socially conscious companies, modern day abolitionist

Let the Shopping Begin. . . . Where Shopping Helps End Modern Day Slavery.

This website, Free To Shop, was created to help end modern day slavery and human trafficking. 

Another shopping website for the modern-day abolitionist is Shop to Stop Slavery .  Shop To Stop Slavery is loaded with resources, educational material, newsworthy reports, socially conscious companies and holiday shopping guides.  You can shop by cause and type of merchandise. This site can guide the modern-day abolitionist’s desire to help end slavery through responsible consumerism and also provide valuable insight surrounding the issue.

In today’s world, responsible consumerism is difficult. Many companies are concerned about the bottom line and are looking for ways to maximize their profits. By consenting to cheaper production costs, many either do not realize or simply disregard the fact that they sponsor slave labor, including child labor, and human trafficking. There are plenty of reports of big name companies involved in human and labor rights violations. Consumers are concerned about stretching dollars, looking for lower prices and deals, not realizing that these shopping habits drive this process. However, if most knew the true cost of products used every day, they would definitely make better decisions about purchases and demand corporations become socially conscious companies.

Human trafficking is defined as the transportation, harboring, selling, or employment of a person through the means of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of forced servitude. Today, modern-day slavery is not only alive and well, but also growing at a fast pace. Children are most vulnerable and often are kidnapped, lured or sold into slavery. In Uganda, they are soldiers forced to be in the military carrying semi-automatic weapons nearly as big as their young bodies. In Thailand, they are sold into brothels by their parents in order to feed other children in the family. In India, they are forced to make rugs in poorly ventilated rooms while chained to their looms. This list can go on including nearly every industry producing food, clothing, and more.  It happens in the United States too. Forced prostitution, domestic servitude, and enslaved labor take place in cities like Chicago, New York, Portland, Houston, and many others. Because this is a hidden crime, no one really knows how many people are trafficked and enslaved today; some estimate that over 27 million people are exploited. Moreover, modern-day slavery is growing, with 600,000 to 800,000 people being enslaved each year.

Be a modern-day abolitionist!  Vote with you dollar.  Make the world a better place with responsible consumerism and, help fund the modern-day abolitionist movement and the organizations working to end this injustice. Each small step is a step towards freedom. Remember everyone should be free to shop!