“Unbroken Chains is essential reading for anyone interested in racial capitalism, fair labor, and victim self-advocacy. Melissa Ditmore’s clear-eyed analysis cuts through the sensationalistic media images of young white girls forced into prostitution to expose the truth about human trafficking. She shows us that it’s a form of extreme labor exploitation rooted in the institution of American slavery, whose unresolved legacy continues to shape our present-day labor laws, particularly in the realms of domestic and agricultural work. Ditmore convincingly argues that we must stop criminalizing victims of human trafficking and instead fight for policies that empower them.”

“If you’re interested in trafficking and labor policy, and or arguing with swerfs and capitalists, may I recommend “Unbroken Chains”? Melissa Ditmore’s “Unbroken Chains” is incredible. Her research spans centuries and multiple forms of labor exploitation, laying bare the lie that sex trafficking is the greatest form of labor exploitation and the rot that has been at the center of the United States’ growth and development since before it became a country: the United States was founded on stolen and exploited labor for profit, and the commitment to cheap labor over human rights has never truly receded. She reveals the ways that emphasis on law enforcement and criminal justice rather than human rights causes trafficking survivors to be vulnerable to further exploitation and abuse.”