Dehumanization Of Slavery

repay a debt and have their basic needs met. Many people today find themselves in need of basic necessities for life, and enter the trade to have these needs met. Additionally, because of these contributing factors, the entry into the industry is full of coercion, manipulation and even violent force. Those profiting from the sex industry are violating, and even destroying, any sense of dignity their victims have. Those “who are victimized through sexual abuse often begin to develop deeply held tenets that shape their sense of self: 'My worth is my sexuality. I'm dirty and shameful. I have no right to my own physical boundaries.'” The entry into Old Testament slavery was a choice one could make, and protected them from being without their …show more content…
Throughout the Deuteronomic history, the historian is writing to expose the reasons Israel was exiled. From the start they were instructed to live by the Law, and they would keep the land, whereas disobedience would lead to the wrath of God. Therefore, Israel’s history includes atrocious acts, such as the violation of the Concubine in Judges 19. The concubine left the home of her ‘husband’ and returned to the house of her father; after some time he came to “fetch” her back to him. The woman is the only character within the narrative who never speaks nor is given a clear identity. As noted in the preceding paragraphs, those who find themselves enslaved in the sex industry rarely ever speak for themselves, and receive new identities to remain bound to their captors. The lack of identity given the concubine, and identity stripped from the modern slave allows them to be seen as an object of momentary pleasure, rather than an individual created by the most Holy God, with divinely given value and worth. One of the messages of this passage is that people are not to be treated in this manner, and the blame of the situation should fall on the perpetrator and the one offending, not the woman. A Cambodian victim of sex trafficking …show more content…
In Exodus 20 when Moses receives The Ten Commandments from God, the seventh commandment is to not commit adultery, meaning God forbade any sexual activity that was not between a husband and wife. “’Sexual relations according to biblical religion are intended to express giving of life and love and a receiving of life and love that are mutually fulfilling. Conversely, any sexual activity that is harmful either to the individual or the community is sinful and demands attention.” Hence, not only does modern slavery break the commandment against adultery, it is incredibly harmful to all involved and should be deemed unethical and not complying with the Biblical regulations of slavery. Breaking this commandment is regarded as a “breach” not only in the marriage covenant, but also in the covenant between man and