"The most common form of coercion is debt bondage. Women are told they must work without wages until they have repaid the purchase price advanced by their employers to the agent. This amount far exceeds the cost of their travel expenses. Even for those women who knew they would be in debt, the amount is invariably higher than they expected and is also routinely increased with arbitrary fines and dishonest account keeping."

That regime was sanctioned and it applied to thousands of girls who were brought to Australia.

The position of the Australian Govt. was that it was not slavery if they knew they would be having sex with hundreds of men for zero payment (to themselves) until the debts were paid etc.

Australia had to be arm-twisted by world opinion into accepting that their model was a disgrace to the reputation of their country.