Enslaved

Enslaved is an adjective describing people who are held in bondage and deprived of freedom through coercion, force, or debt, and who are typically treated as the property of others. The phrase enslaved people or enslaved individuals is preferred in modern usage to emphasize their humanity rather than their status as property. The verb to enslave denotes the act of imposing such conditions and the systems, laws, and economic networks that sustain them.

Slavery has appeared in many societies across history, from ancient empires to transoceanic and other trade networks. The English word slave derives in part from the historical enslavement of peoples from Slavic regions, and from Latin sclavus. Enslaved status was often codified in law and practice, restricting movement, labor, and marriage, while owners or captors exercised extensive control. Abolition movements gradually ended legal slavery in many places during the 18th through 20th centuries; the United States ratified the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, and Britain enacted the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833.

Today, forms of coercive labor persist, including forced labor, debt bondage, human trafficking, forced marriage, and child labor. International law, including ILO conventions and UN treaties, seeks to eradicate these practices and to protect victims. When people speak of enslaved individuals, it reflects a focus on the person and the harm experienced, rather than on their status as property. Estimates of the number of people in modern slavery vary, but organizations regularly report millions worldwide.