Lord Mayor swaps ceremonial chains for symbol of slavery
13 October 2010
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Mark Hackett, will be swapping his chains of office for chains of slavery today.
The dramatic gesture is in recognition of all modern day slaves and to mark the first ever UK Anti-Slavery Day.
He will wear the chains at the beginning of the council meeting to highlight the plight of men, women and children from all over the world who are commercially and sexually exploited in the UK.The antique leg irons and chains have been supplied by the Greater Manchester Police Museum on Newton Street.
The Anti-Slavery Day Bill was introduced in Parliament as a Private Members' Bill and became law just before the 2010 General Election. In July, the Prime Minister announced that Anti-Slavery Day would fall on 18 October every year. This date coincides with the European Union's Anti-Trafficking Day.
Despite the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade over 200 years ago men, women and children continue to be victims of the modern-day slave trade, many as domestic slaves. The aim of Anti-Slavery Day is to raise awareness of the crime of modern-day slavery, including human trafficking and exploitation, and encourage people to be proactive in the fight against it.
The Lord Mayor said: "Anti-Slavery Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about a brutal, but largely hidden, crime being committed against adults and children some of whom are kept as domestic slaves in this country and abroad."
Deputy Leader Councillor Sue Murphy added: "Manchester played a proud part in the abolition of slavery 200 years ago, but it is a sad reality today there are still people in this country and around the world who are not free to exercise their basic human rights - they have no freedom of movement and no economic or sexual freedom."
Christine Beddoe, Director of ECPAT UK, said: "It is a shocking reality that children are facing appalling situations of exploitation and abuse in the UK today. Many children are trafficked to the UK for sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, cannabis cultivation, forced criminal activities and benefit fraud. Anti-Slavery Day therefore provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of these crimes happening in our midst and to make us all focus on the need to combat modern-day slavery in all its forms and provide greater support to its victims."
