Dear,    Years ago, the world was shocked at news of slave markets in Libya. Today, European leaders are endorsing the very policies pushing people into them.     Just two weeks ago, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Italy and expressed an “interest” in taking lessons from the Italian Prime Minister[1] on migration management.     The Italian model supports the E.U. funded Libyan Coastguard, which intercepts refugees and migrants at sea and returns them to Libya. There, they face trafficking, forced labor, sexual violence, and extortion.  Take action Many don’t even make it to the official detention centers they’re sent to and are instead taken to unofficial facilities run by traffickers and militias.     Imagine fleeing danger, only to end up in a place where you're sold into slavery, forced to work, and exposed to violence daily[2]. For tens of thousands of people[3], this is their reality.    And the European Union’s funding is helping to make it possible.  Sign the petition Despite knowing about the abuse meted out to returnees, the E.U. has poured hundreds of millions of Euros[4] into propping up the Libyan Coast Guard, militias, dangerous detention centers and the very boats used to attack, capture and drown refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean Sea.    With alarming rates of refugees and migrants trapped in forced labor in Libya or drowned at sea by the Libyan Coast Guard, Italy has experienced a drastic reduction in the arrival of irregular migrants.  This has been dubbed “remarkable progress” by U.K. Prime Minister Starmer.     You and I know better. When governments use public funds to support systems that exploit vulnerable people, it undermines our collective fight against modern slavery.    We must end this rotten system before more countries take this dangerous path.   Tell the EU to act At Freedom United, we’ve been working tirelessly to expose and challenge these injustices. But we can’t do it alone.     We need your help to push the E.U. to change course and end its complicity in these atrocities. With enough support, we can demand that human rights be prioritized over harmful policies.    Your voice can make a difference. Together, we can bring about change.  Take a stand The time to act is now—let’s ensure that Europe’s policies do not enable modern slavery and human trafficking.     In solidarity, Krysta and the team that supports the Freedom United community Krysta Bisnauth Advocacy Manager, Freedom United