What Is Farm & Rural Debt Bondage?

Farm and rural debt bondage refers to a type of slavery occurring in some countries. This term refers to workers trapped in their jobs because of insurmountable debt to the landowners they work for.

Slavery

• Debt bondage is similar to slavery. Slavery is controlling workers without properly rewarding them, or forcing them to work without pay. Landowners who give their workers only the basic staples needed to survive are practicing a form of slavery.

Worker Debt

• Debt bondage occurs mainly in farm and rural areas. These workers are in constant debt to their employers. They see their wages paying for food, shelter and transportation. They have nothing left after paying for these necessities and believe that they cannot leave their jobs to seek employment elsewhere because they do not have the resources to do so.

Where Debt Bondage Occurs

• Debt bondage still occurs today. As of 2010, debt bondage can be found in many countries, including Benin, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Peru.