Modern slavery may be the biggest story on Earth. This horror gets scant attention from today’s media, which is busy fueling hatred through lies and distortions.
Part of it is the Islamic State’s mass enslavement of Yazidis., which has created a global “market,” including for children sold into sex slavery. To ISIS and other Islamist groups, this enslavement is as justified as the Islamic Empire’s Indian Ocean slave trade — which, according to the Smithsonian, was even bigger than the transatlantic one.
Recently, Australian authorities arrested women returning from Syria, and charged them with slavery crimes. The case highlights a largely unknown reality: Some democracies are trying to crack down on the Islamic State’s slavery operations. And so far, most of the people arrested have been women.
In the latest episode, I explain why.
Take the case of Jennifer Wenisch, who grew up Protestant in Germany, got radicalized, converted to Islam, and went off to join ISIS in Iraq. She and her husband “purchased” a Yazidi woman and daughter. Wenisch was arrested and tried upon return to Germany. Via i24:
“‘After the girl fell ill and wet her mattress, the husband of the accused chained her up outside as punishment and let the child die an agonizing death of thirst in the scorching heat,’” prosecutors told the court. ‘The accused allowed her husband to do so and did nothing to save the girl.’”
Wenisch was originally sentenced to ten years. Prosecutors argued that was too lenient, and got it extended to 14 years.
Inside Germany, the media can only call her “Jennifer W” due to laws protecting privacy, even of people who engage in such acts of evil. Outside Germany, some news agencies have used her full name, but the New York Times has not. I asked the paper why; as usual, they haven’t responded.
Why is it mostly women facing these charges?
Here’s what’s happening. Men are
