On 21 July 2021, a couple in Melbourne were jailed for intentionally keeping a slave. The woman and man were jailed for 8 years and 6 years respectively. The charges carry a maximum of 25 years in prison. The couple controlled every aspect of the survivor’s life, including preventing her from leaving the house, controlling her communication with family, denying her healthcare and proper payment. She was paid the equivalent of $3.39 a day.
This case challenges the perception of slavery in our country and illustrate that it can and does happen here.
This is the first time that a couple has been prosecuted and jailed for offences relating to domestic servitude in Australia.
