I work for an international NGO as my non-writing day job. A colleague told me of a factory she visited in India. Our organisation was working to improve the safety & quality of life for the children in the local community, many of whom worked in the factory.
When asked what they would like to change, one of the local girls said "Please help us get rid of the tennis balls." My colleague was confused - what did tennis balls have to do with anything?
Turns out the factory owners made the kids hold tennis balls under their chins. That way they couldn't look up from their work or talk to one another without the ball falling down and them getting beaten.
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