Saturday, June 28th 2008, 11:53 PM
Farriella for News
Members of Domestic Workers United stage a protest outside Federal Court in Central Islip before the sentencing of Varshna Sabhnani (below) with her husband, Mahender.
Barcelo for News
Varshna and Mahender Sabhnani
Bates for News
Shaku Begum
The case of a well-to-do Long Island couple imprisoned last week for keeping slaves in their home shocked New Yorkers who couldn't imagine human bondage still exists in America.
But the awful truth is that an estimated 14,500 slaves are trafficked into the U.S. each year, forced to toil as restaurant workers, housemaids, prostitutes and migrant farm laborers, according to a national advocacy group called Free the Slaves.
In New York City, "We've seen 300 victims since 2001 who were trafficked," said Gabriela Villareal of Safe Horizons. She said 60% of them were forced into domestic, restaurant or factory work. More..
