Slaves still with us

While we remember the hidden history of the slave trade (Features, February 2), let us acknowledge that the "dark stain" of slavery continues to exist.

There are at least 12 million people worldwide working as slaves, and tens of thousands of these are working in the UK, as trafficked sex slaves, domestic and other forced labourers, or in debt bondage. Major companies are also compromised by the use of slaves in their supply chains.

We need still to ask awkward questions and to create again a sense of moral outrage.

Gary Craig
Associate director, Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation, Hull University