Slavery - Servant Contracts

Slavery is legal in Haven but ONLY through the use of a servant contract, which puts the master and servant on equal playing ground, as it becomes an exchange of services rather than one person being oppressed by the other.

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A servant contract is just what the name suggests- a contract that legally binds a "master" and a "servant" to each other with respect to the exchange of services between them. Servant contracts can only be used by someone who *willingly* signs over some of their rights to another in exchange for agreed upon benefits. Those benefits vary as do the rights that are signed over, but both must meet the laws set by the council to prevent severe injury, oppression, or death of the servant. Reasons for why someone might sign themselves over vary widely, but the most popular reasons are because the servant has an overwhelming amount of debt they need to pay/work off, or because the servant prefers to live with and be taken care of by their master in exchange for their own services. Many contracts, though not all, put the master in the position of taking the servant into their households for the purpose of hard labor, sexual favors, companionship, help with raising the family, and many other reasons.

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There are those that purposely twist the servant contracts into something much more sinister for profit or just their own dark desires. These individuals turn indentured servitude into literal slavery, forcing one person into abusive relationships and oppression. Someone might start out as a contracted servant with a will of their own, but by means of a blood bond or drugs, find themselves much more compliant to their master’s wishes.

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Some Haven residents have started to speak out against the servant contracts due to the recent increases in abuse of the system. They often argue that it is outdated and unnecessary, while others find nothing wrong with the system since it has been around since the town was founded.Then there are those that defend the servant contracts who argue that the system helps decrease unemployment, homelessness, crime due to poverty, and many other issues.

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All servant contracts must be submitted to the registration office in the Town Hall with both the servant and the master present. Once validated, the servant will be given a new ID card for Haven with their status on it. The ID will identify them as a servant, provide their contract number, and the name and contact information of their master. This ID must be carried on them at all times. Illegal slaves are sometimes made to carry forged servant ID's, as most people don't check further than that, but the Order of Ashes does have a department to help with cases of suspected abuse and to ensure compliance with the laws. However, those who manipulate the system are not always caught.
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The following are Haven's laws for Servant Contracts. These laws are a work in progress and subject to be altered or added to at any time:

* Servant Contracts cannot be indefinite, and must be agreed upon for a specific length of time. Once the contract is up, if both parties wish to extend it, they will need to file a new contract with the city of Haven.
* The Servant Contract does not allow the servant to become the unwilling slave to the master's every whim. All details of the agreement, including what the servant will offer and what the master will provide in exchange, should be outlined in the contract.
* The Order of Ashes has the right to check up on a servant at any time, without warning, to ensure health and compliance to the contract.
* Servants must carry their Servant ID's with them at all times. Failure to do so can result in fines.
* Servants are not to be physically or sexually abused. If this is thought to be occurring, the Order of Ashes will take the servant away from the master for their own safety.
* Servants are not to be sold, traded, or involved in the illegal slave trade.
* Contracts are not to be broken.

If something occurs that would break the contract (either on the master or the servant's part), and the Order of Ashes gets the news, the contract is immediately void and both parties will be expected to drop the agreement. A new agreement is allowed to be constructed, but the old one is no longer valid.