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Sep 18

International Equal Pay Day: The Link Between Pay Gaps & Exploitation

When you hear the phrase “equal pay”, what comes to mind?


The conversation around equal pay often revolves around gender equality alone. The gender pay gap is a massively critical problem, but to accurately address pay equality we must consider every intersection, as well as the ultimate price of pay inequality. Gender, sexuality, race, disability, age, and immigration status all play a role in the unequal pay seen across the world, setting the stage for the exploitation of vulnerable individuals.


When a living wage isn’t provided, people can become desperate and vulnerable. Statistics indicate that individuals from marginalised groups, such as women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, migrants, and disabled people, are at a higher risk for exploitation.


But what is the root cause of this?


It is no coincidence that these marginalised groups are also those who face pay gaps. In the UK, women make 85p for every pound made by men. According to the Social Science Research Network, LGBTQIA+ individuals receive 22% less pay than heterosexual cisgender co-workers. The Office of National Statistics has reported substantial pay gaps between white workers and people of colour, as well as those born in the UK vs. foreign nationals. The ONS has also reported a pay gap for disabled workers, who earn £1.93 per hour less than non-disabled workers.


Anyone can become a victim of modern slavery, human trafficking, or exploitation – but certain vulnerabilities, including unequal pay and poverty, place some individuals at higher risk than others. Those facing pay gaps may find themselves in desperate circumstances where deceit and coercion can thrive. Once entrapped, there is truly no bigger pay gap than that of exploitation and forced labour.


This is why addressing the fundamental causes of vulnerabilities that place marginalised people at risk is critical, and ensuring equal pay and living wages is a great place to start. By closing the pay gap and ensuring that all workers receive a wage through the standardisation and regulation of labour practices, we can reduce these vulnerabilities which place people at risk of exploitation. At Sophie Hayes Foundation, we believe in equality and equity for all – and on International Equal Pay Day, we call for the closure of pay gaps across characteristics and the implementation of living wages and stronger labour practice regulations.



 

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