upworthy
More

Modern-day human slavery takes many forms. Here are 3 of them.

Modern-day human slavery takes many forms.

What do the terms "human slavery" and "human trafficking" mean to you?

When I think of human trafficking and slavery, the first thing that comes to mind is people being kidnapped and sold into the sex and labor trades. That definitely happens, and it's absolutely horrible. It needs to stop.

But there are also other forms, where people voluntarily agree to take what's presented to them as a job. It's usually an opportunity for a better life and much-needed income. They go willingly — at first. And then once they arrive at their new place of employment, often in another city, state, or country, they quickly learn that they're not free to leave and either the "job" doesn't pay or it's not even the "job" they were promised. Women can end up as involuntary sex workers, for example, when they thought they were taking a job as a housekeeper.

Human trafficking is a big business that happens all over the world.

There's a lot of illegal money being made buying, selling, and exploiting humans — about $32 billion a year. Over $15 billion of that comes from industrialized countries, including the United States.

Make no mistake: People are being held against their will and forced to perform labor, from domestic work to prostitution, in the U.S. Human trafficking and slavery isn't a "third-world problem." It happens in greater numbers in developing countries, but it also happens in developed ones.

Watch three common scenarios about how people are duped into becoming human slaves.

These three fictional people became human slaves when they were tricked into taking "jobs" that turned out not to be jobs at all. It's helpful for us all to understand how human trafficking works.

Badge
Ocean Wise
Be Ocean Wise
Planet

Enter this giveaway for a free, fun date! 🌊 💗

It's super easy, no purchase or donation necessary, and you help our oceans! That's what we call a win-win-win. Enter here.

True

Our love for the ocean runs deep. Does yours? Enter here!

This Valentine’s Day, we're teaming up with Ocean Wise to give you the chance to win the ultimate ocean-friendly date. Whether you're savoring a romantic seafood dinner, catching waves with surf lessons, or grooving to a concert by the beach, your next date could be on us!

Here’s how to enter:

  • Go to ocean.org/date and complete the quick form for a chance to win - it’s as easy as that.
  • P.s. If you follow @oceanwise or donate after entering, you’ll get extra entries!

Here are the incredible dates:

1. Staycation + Surf Lesson

Hang ten on the ultimate ocean date! Whether you're beginners or seasoned surfers, a cozy stay by the ocean and surf lessons will have you riding the waves and making unforgettable memories together.


2. A Year of Netflix

Get cozy and explore the wonders of the ocean right from your couch! Whether you're diving into breathtaking documentaries or finally watching My Octopus Teacher, enjoy a full year of streaming on us.

3. BeachLife Festival Tickets

Soak up the sun and enjoy Lenny Kravitz, Sublime, Alanis Morissette, and more at BeachLife Festival May 2-4, 2025. Celebrate your love for music and sea at the LA’s Premier Beach Music Festival!

4. Private Cooking Lesson with Michelin-starred Chef

Learn how to make a delicious meal with Matthew Kammerer who has earned a Michelin green star due to his commitment to sustainability in addition to two Michelin stars for his restaurant - Harbor House Inn.

5. Dinner for Two at Wrench and Rodent

Sustainable seafood isn’t just delicious, it’s an excellent way to combat overfishing. Enjoy dinner for two at the incredible Wrench and Rodent, courtesy of Chef Davin Waite in San Diego, California. Wow your date with both a delicious meal and the knowledge you’re supporting a healthy, thriving ocean!


Giveaway ends 2/11/25 at 11:59pm PT. Winners will be selected at random and contacted via email from the Upworthy. No purchase necessary. Open to residents of the U.S. and specific Canadian provinces that have reached age of majority in their state/province/territory of residence at the time. Please see terms and conditions for specific instructions. Giveaway not affiliated with Instagram. More details at ocean.org/date

From Your Site Articles
planet
Family

Mom recalls the uncomfortable moment an older man complimented her 6-year-old's appearance

When she didn't say "thank you," he accused her of having bad manners.

@yourejustliz/TikTok

“Nice is different than kind."

It might have been pretty universally accepted during our childhood for daughters to be expected to reciprocate affection from adults, whether they liked it or not. A non consensual kiss to grandparents here, a forced “thank you” there. But times have changed.

However, this change in parenting style can sometimes make for some, well, awkward or even downright uncomfortable situations as moms and dads try to advocate for this kid’s autonomy.

Recently, a mom named Liz Kindred detailed just such an incident with her six year old daughter, which has a whole lotta other parents discussing how to navigate these unideal interactions.

As she recalls in a video posted to TikTok, Kindred was waiting in line with her daughter when a grown man turned around and said “My goodness, you sure are pretty” to the child.

“My six-year-old is gorgeous, yes, but she is also very in tune and perceptive, and she's an introvert so she grabbed my leg really tight,” Kindred said.

Doubling down, the man repeated himself, saying “You sure are pretty. Look at those blue eyes,” which only made her shy daughter grab her leg harder.

Noting that being in a 12 step program has taught her to be less “knee jerk reactionary,” the mom bit her tongue and offered a polite smile to the man, hoping that would be the end of it. It wasn’t.


@yourejustliz I need to get my brows done
♬ Succession (Theme Song) - The Theme System


“He's a boomer and, God love him, he said, ‘I guess your mom didn't teach you manners.’ And I let out an uncomfortable little [chuckle], and the pause was long. It was long. And under his breath he said, ‘Guess not,’” she said.

In what she called the most ”Jesus loving way” she could muster, while still bluntly making her point, Kindred told the man "If you assume that I didn't teach my six-year-old daughter to say ‘thank you’ to a grown, consenting man when he compliments her appearance, then you would be correct."

What followed was the “longest silence” of Kindred’s life.

The video, which has been viewed over 6 million times now, prompted a ton of parents to share how their own kids have established boundaries in similar situations—with their support, of course.

“An old man called my 4 yr old daughter a sweetheart at the store…she boldly responded ‘I am NOT YOUR sweetheart!’ I was so proud,” on person recalled.

Another added, “My 3 year old says ‘NO THANK YOU MY BODY DOESN’T LIKE TAHT.’”

Still another said “My 2 yo knows the boundaries song and just starts singing that anytime someone talks to her.”

While the response to Kindred’s video was overwhelmingly positive, there were a few comments defending the man as simply being “kind.” This prompted Kindred to do a follow-up video doubling down on her decision.

In the clip, she shared how she herself has dealt with seemingly innocent compliments in her life from men, which later turned into something else. Feeling like she “didn’t have a voice” to say something, “because I’m a nice Christian, Southern girl,” Kindred ended up being in unsavory situations (she didn't explicitly say what those situations were, but it's easy enough to piece together). She doesn’t want her daughter to have the same issues.


@yourejustliz #stitch with @Liz Kindred ♬ Succession (Theme Song) - The Theme System

“Nice is different than kind. The kind thing to do is to teach our daughters and our children in this next generation that when you are uncomfortable with something you listen to your body and you set a firm boundary with that and you provide language around that. And you start that really really young.”

Yep. Well said.


This article originally appeared last year.

From Your Site Articles
kids
Videos

98-year-old Auschwitz survivor is using TikTok to share her story with young people

Lily Ebert/TikTok

Lily Ebert was sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau when she was 20 and now shares her story on TikTok.

We have reached a critical point in history when the opportunity to hear live, first-hand accounts of the Holocaust are quickly dwindling. Those who survived it—and remember it—are now in their 80s, 90s and 100s, and every year their number grows smaller and smaller. We're also at a point where the reality of the Holocaust has been questioned or outright denied, and, as we near a century since the start of the tragedy, much of the values, ideals, and justice the world fought for are quickly being lost.

If you have the opportunity to sit down and talk to a Holocaust survivor, I highly recommend it. Many won't have that opportunity, however, so the next best thing is bearing witness to these stories as they are shared on video. Not to discount the power of written accounts—those are vital, too—but there's something to the human-to-human connection of hearing a person who lived through it speak about their experiences.

Some Holocaust survivors have traveled to give talks to students in schools. But at least one woman who survived the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp is using a more modern means of reaching young people with her story: TikTok.

With the help of her great-grandson (one of her 34 great-grandchildren), 98-year-old Lily Ebert shares brief videos on her TikTok channel describing some of what she experienced during the Holocaust and answers questions viewers ask. She currently has 1.7 million followers.

Ebert was 20 years old when her family was taken from their hometown in Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the Nazi death camps. Her mother, younger brother and younger sister were immediately taken to the gas chambers and killed. Ebert was sent to work in the camp where she spent four horrifying months.

"People would say 'four months isn't so long,'" she said in one of her videos. "But let me tell you something. Even four minutes was too long."

@lilyebert

Reply to @aimeelilyhoff Not human, just numbers 🥺💔#neverforget #auschwitz #holocaust #learnontiktok #holocaustsurvivor #hell #history #viral #jewish

Ebert bears the tattoo of the number she was given—A-10572—on her forearm. "We were not humans," she said. "We were only a number."

@lilyebert

Reply to @garylee55786 It was a #hell 💔 #learnontiktok #holocaustsurvivor #neverforget #jew #survivor #important #listenandlearn #viral #97yearold #u

Ebert's story is shared in small pieces on TikTok, which can feel somewhat jarring. But TikTok is where the young folks are and reaching them with personal stories like this might be one of the most effective ways of reaching them.

People ask Ebert lots of questions and she answers some of them in videos. For instance, someone asked if she was scared she was going to die. Her thoughtful pause is as telling as her answer.

@lilyebert

Answer to @sofie_slothypanda In #auschwitz you were afraid of #life💔#concentrationcamp #holocaustsurvivor #learnontiktok #askquestions #viral #jew

"In Auschwitz you were not afraid of death," she said. "You were afraid to live."

Some people ask questions that we don't see answered often—details that people might be curious about. In one video, Ebert talked about what it was like to use the bathroom. Toilets were rows of holes in the ground and they were told when they could use them—there was no privacy whatsoever.

She even answered a question about what women did about their periods, explaining that most women didn't have their periods because the physical trauma they endured prevented it.

@lilyebert

Reply to @lesbanon We were so weak 🥺#auschwitz #concentrationcamp #holocaust #history #askquestions #learnontiktok #97yearold #jewtok #shabbat #viral

Someone else asked if there were Nazi women at Auschwitz. Ebert said there were—and that sometimes they were worse than the men.

@lilyebert

Reply to @reubenlouisg They were worse💔#auschwitz #holocaust #history #learnontiktok #askquestions #survivor #blowthisup #shabbat #shabbos #jewish #u

Another person asked if she encountered any Nazi guards who indicated that they didn't want to be torturing and killing people. Her answer was blunt: A person who was kind would not work in Auschwitz.

@lilyebert

Answer to @maeve_5640 No.#auschwitz #hell #learnontiktok #concentrationcamp #blowthisup #viral #holocaust #history #survivor #jew #hungarian #hebrew

Some people might wonder how going through such a heinous experience impacts a person's faith. Her great-grandson asked her if she still believes in God after everything she endured.

@lilyebert

Reply to @adrian_petrov.mcu Humans did it. 💔🥺#believe #askquestions #holocaust #history #God #auschwitz #love #viral #survivor #concentrationcamp #u

"Yes, I do," she said. "Because God didn't do it. So-called humans did."

@lilyebert

Never forget the horrors of the #holocaust 💔🥺 #holocaustsurvivor #concentrationcamp #jewish #jew #neverforget #history #viral #weremember #auschwitz

Ebert has been back to Auschwitz a few times since she was liberated. It's hard enough for anyone to see the enormous piles of shoes from people who were murdered there. It's harder to imagine what it would be like having seen and smelled the smoke coming from the crematorium there, knowing your loved ones were among those killed.

Ebert's "Ask me anything" posts have become a way for young people to interact with that harrowing chapter of human history in a rarely accessible way. She can choose which questions to answer and give some personal insight into what the Holocaust was like.

"What was the first thing you did after liberation?" someone asked.

@lilyebert

A #holocaustsurvivor answers your questions! #askmeanything #learnontiktok #survivor #neverforget #history #oldtok #love #hungarian #forjewpage #fypp

Ebert said she lay down on the floor and fell asleep. Sleep was practically impossible at the camp and she was so tired. Another person asked why she thinks she survived the hell of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

@lilyebert

Reply to @jakie971 To be a witness 💔🥺 #holocaustsurvivor #holocaust #auschwitz #97yearold #history #jewishtiktok #weremember #viral #hungarian #fypp

She said she didn't know. "But maybe it was so that I could tell you and thousands of other people what happened there. To be a witness."

"I was really not sure that I would stay alive," Ebert told CBS News in 2022. "It is a miracle that I am here. But I promised myself, however long I will be alive, and whatever I will do in life, one thing is sure, I will tell my story."

@lilyebert

Have I ever thought about removing my Auschwitz [tattoo] number? #holocaustsurvivor #98yearold #learnontiktok #tattoo #concentrationcamp #strongwoman #neverforget #history #gmb #holocaustmemorialday #jew #goodmorningbritain #jewish

Ebert was also interviewed on Good Morning Britain in 2022, and was asked if she's ever thought about having the tattoo of her number removed. She said she had never thought about it.

"I want to show the world because to see something or to hear about it makes a big difference. And the world should know how deep they cut, how deep humans can go."

In 2023, Ebert celebrated her 100th birthday with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and of course, all her Internet friends and followers.

Lily Ebert: 100 Years Young 😊💪 Such a special day! 🎂👑❤️ #holocaustsurvivor #100 #greatgrandson #greatgrandma #goodmorningbritain #gmb #itv #richardmadley #ranvirsingh

@lilyebert

Lily Ebert: 100 Years Young 😊💪 Such a special day! 🎂👑❤️ #holocaustsurvivor #100 #greatgrandson #greatgrandma #goodmorningbritain #gmb #itv #richardmadley #ranvirsingh

And it was truly beautiful.

Happy birthday Lily ❤️🎂 100 years old!!! #happybirthday #holocaustsurvivor #100yearold

@lilyebert

Happy birthday Lily ❤️🎂 100 years old!!! #happybirthday #holocaustsurvivor #100yearold

In late 2024, Lily's great-grandson shared a video on her TikTok alerting the world that the family matriarch had passed away on October 9th, just weeks before what would have been her 101st birthday. Though profoundly sad, many in the comments thanked the family for their honesty, vulnerability, and the joy they spread in the shadow of such dark history.


Lily Ebert, 1923-2024 💔 A light that shone so bright has gone dark.

@lilyebert

Lily Ebert, 1923-2024 💔 A light that shone so bright has gone dark.

"She was a beautiful person. Thank you for sharing her with us," one commenter said.

"It has been nothing short of an honour to be a follower of this beautiful woman and her remarkable story. Thank you for your profound strength Lily. May her memory be a blessing🤍," said another.

Thank you, Lily Ebert, for being willing to answer questions to help educate younger generations on the realities of the Holocaust so we can strive to make sure humanity never allows such atrocities to happen again. Her memory most definitely is a blessing.


This article originally appeared three years ago.

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
culture
Celebrity

Hugh Grant finally tells his Bridget Jones co-star Renée Zellweger what he always thought of her

The feeling is mutual.

Images of Hugh Grant and Renee Zellweger via Wikicommons

Hugh Grant and Renee Zellweger



love actually GIFGiphy

  1. Hugh Grant does not hold back when it comes to his opinions on anything. But in one unfortunate interview he did for Elle Magazine back in 2009, he dished on most of his female co-stars, and it wasn't pretty. He described Emma Thompson as "clever, funny, mad as a chair." Of Sandra Bullock, he said, "a genius, a German, too many dogs." He later commented that Julia Roberts' mouth was so big, he "was aware of a faint echo" when they kissed onscreen. And while Julianne Moore, Rachel Weisz, and Drew Barrymore were all described as clever, stunning, or beautiful, the consensus was that they all "loathed him."

But it was his Bridget Jones's Diary co-star Renée Zellweger with whom he seemed to have the softest spot. Even when revisiting the matter on The Graham Norton Show in 2016, Hugh agreed with his original assessment that she's "delightful. Also far from sane. Very good kisser."

When pressed, Hugh jokingly said, "She is genuinely lovely, but her emails are 48 pages long. Can't understand a word of them."

Now, nine years later, Renée is returning to her Bridget Jones character, and the two reunite for a piece called "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy" for British VogueBritish Vogue. After Hugh writes an intro to the piece, where he reveals he used to have tons of questions between on-set shots for Renée—questions like "If you had to marry one of today's extras, who would it be?" and "Who is a better kisser, me or Colin Firth?" He now has a whole new slew of questions. Here are a few key things we find out:


Sad Renee Zellweger GIF by Working TitleGiphy

What did Hugh always think of Renée?

He says candidly (of course), "With a lot of other actors, you think they're really great, and then suddenly you see a little glint of steely, scary ambition, and you realize this person would trample their grandmother to get what they want in this business. But I've never seen that glint coming off you. So either it's very well disguised, or you are quite nice."

What does Renée really think of Hugh?

You're hilariously brilliant at everything you hate. And, though you hate humans, you're a very good and loyal friend. I like you very much. And I love working with you."

Love Actually Dancing GIF by PeacockTVGiphy


What did Hugh really think of her English accent?

Queen Elizabeth GIFGiphy

After discussing Renée's dialect coach, Hugh tells her that her attempt at an English accent is…"perfect."

Why does the Bridget Jones franchise remain so appealing?


Renee Zellweger Romance GIF by Bridget JonesGiphy

Hugh says, "In a nutshell, I say it's an antidote to Instagram. Instagram is telling people, especially women, 'Your life's not good enough.' It's not as good as this woman's or that woman's, making you insecure. Whereas what Helen (the writer) did with Bridget is celebrate failures, while making it funny and joyful."

Renée makes some jokes and then says, "I think maybe folks recognize themselves in her and relate to her feelings of self-doubt. Bridget is authentically herself and doesn't always get it right, but whatever her imperfections, she remains joyful and optimistic, carries on, and triumphs in her own way."

What does Hugh think of Renée's fashion?


Drunk Bridget Jones GIF by Working TitleGiphy

After asking if people in general should be a "bit more stylish," Hugh tells Renée she's "very chic." Renée pushes back with, "I'm wearing a tracksuit." To which Hugh retorts, "Yeah, but a sort of PRICEY one."

And finally, those emails:

"You have sent me the longest emails I've ever received. I can't understand a single word of them. They're written in some curious language that I can't really understand."

"No!" Renée exclaims. "If you reference something in your emails that makes me laugh…I will circle back to that. And if you've forgotten that you wrote it, I don't think I should be held accountable for that!"

From Your Site Articles
hugh grant
Joy

Blake the rescue Rottweiler is winning hearts and blowing minds with his singing duet

People are loving Blake's musical stylings.

@chopfromgta/TikTok

Blake's owner sings and he "sings" along.

When a dog howls along to music, are they complaining because the music hurts their ears, or are they actually trying to sing along?

Most likely, it's the latter—or something like it. According to the American Kennel Club, research shows that canines do actually have a sense of pitch and can differentiate between different tones. That ability stems from their wolf ancestors, who each howl at a different pitch as more and more wolves join in on a group howl.

So when Blake the rescue Rottweiler joins his owner in a viral TikTok video duet, perhaps he's really trying to "sing" along with her. Whether he's singing or howling or a mixture of both, it's as impressive as it is entertaining.

Blake's owner starts her video singing, "I'm about to go lay down," as Blake looks around and moves his mouth like he's getting ready to chime in. When she hits a particularly forceful note, he joins her with a gruff howl.

The two sing along together for a bit, but it's the moment when he actually matches her pitch and then appears to harmonize with her that has people rolling. Watch:

@chopfromgta

Reply to @mc.lex please watch until the end 😭🥺🤍 #dogsoftiktok #rottweiler #rottweilersoftiktok #petsoftiktok #animals

Then that punctuating howl at the end. Well done, Blake.

Blake has made a name for himself on TikTok not only with his musical stylings, but with his adorable personality. Watch him get super excited when he thinks Papa is coming and taking him for a walk.

@chopfromgta

Replying to @Jesse Okonek I think it’s clear who he loves more 😭😂 #rottweiler #rottweilersoftiktok #petsoftiktok #WorldPrincessWeek #AEJeansSoundOn #rottiesoftiktok #rottiepurr #rottiemom #rottweilerpuppy #rottweilerlife #rottweilerfamily #rottweilerlove #rottierumble

People also love his self-control and patience.

@chopfromgta

Reply to @prettygirl.tataaa he has a seat at the dinner table 😂💀 #TheHarderTheyFall #rottweiler #dogsofttiktok #youredone #bestfriend

Rottweilers are often feared and have a reputation for being aggressive. However, according to U.S. Service Animals, Rottweilers are highly intelligent and more easily trained than many other dog breeds, making them obedient dogs when they are well-trained. They do have some latent aggression and are prone to biting in play, and they make excellent guard dogs due to their naturally suspicious nature. If they respect their owner and are well-disciplined, they can be a loyal and protective companion.

If you want to see more of Blake, follow @chopfromgta on TikTok.


This article originally appeared three years ago.

From Your Site Articles
dog singing
Love Stories

Heartbroken Argentine farmer planted a 7,000-tree 'guitar forest' in his late wife's memory

It came from an idea she'd had before she died suddenly in 1977 at age 25.

Photos from Google Maps by Santiago gomez Gomez and Aaraon C. I. Comba

The "guitar forest" in the farmlands near Laboulaye, Argentina, is visible from the air.

Losing a spouse is never easy, but the way Pedro Martin Ureta lost his wife, Graciela is particularly heart-wrenching. Graciela was 25 years old and pregnant when she died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 1977. The Argentinian farmer was left widowed with four children and utterly devastated over losing the love of his life.

But a few years later, Ureta began what would become a decades-long project in tribute to his late wife on his farm near the town of Laboulaye in central Argentina. One day, earlier in their marriage, Graciela had seen a farm that looked like a milking pail from the air while flying over the fields. Inspired, she asked Ureta if they could plant something similar on their own land, but in the shape of a guitar, an instrument she greatly loved. He told her that they would talk about it later—but of course, later never came.

So two years after her death, Ureta and the children set out to create what Graciela had envisioned, as a living monument to her memory. Over four decades, they cultivated some 7,000 trees to create a massive guitar forest. According to Conde Nast Traveler, landscaping professionals thought he was crazy, so he and the field hands on his ranch took the work on themselves. Rather than plan out the rows of trees with conventional surveying methods, Ureta would line up the children in rows to determine where to plant.

Ureta planted mostly cypress trees for the body and blue eucalyptus trees for the neck, creating a colorful guitar shape 2/3 of a mile (nearly 1 km) long. In the early years, he battled pests that threatened the saplings, but eventually he was able to grow a thriving forest that honored Graciela's memory.

guitar forestThe fields around the guitar change color in different seasons.Photo from Google Maps by VIPUL CHAUDHARY

Due to a fear of flying, Ureta may have never seen the guitar forest from above in person, but it is visible on Google Maps. NASA has even documented the land art on its Earth Observatory website, saying "it has become a wonder for pilots and passengers flying over the region." In fact, the site has over 100 reviews on Google Maps, despite being a fly-over location, and people's tributes to his tribute are truly heartwarming.

"This is a guitar made of trees dedicated to his lost love as it was her wish to make this in their field. This is the best example of men in love can do anything. Hats off to the dedication of the husband who built this guitar shaped field over the decade to show his true love towards his wife who is no more. She must be smiling from the heaven seeing this!"

"Without words... This man deserves the gold medal for the most romantic... May God give him lots of life and be with him always..."

"Men just being men for the women they love. 🩷"

"Guitar hero for real!"

"Pure love."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The pain of losing a loved one can take a long time to heal from, and healing can take many forms. Planting trees, even if it's not nearly as elaborate of an undertaking as Ureta's, is a beautiful way to honor someone's memory—a tribute that lives on in their name, contributes to the health of our planet, and may even provide a home for other living creatures. It also makes a lovely sensory place to visit, where loved ones can sit in the shade, listen to the rustle of the leaves, smell and feel the bark and revisit memories of the person it was planted for.

We may not all be able to create a gigantic memorial forest, but we can certainly appreciate the love that compelled Ureta and his children to do so and how heartening it must be for them to imagine people thinking of Graciela every time they fly over it.


From Your Site Articles
love
Trending Stories