To have a clear understanding of slavery, one must first have an understanding of victimhood and agency, and of oppressor versus oppressed. Victimhood is an important aspect because slavery was an atrocity that ruled people's lives for decades and they had very little opportunity to change anything. Free will is an important aspect because even with so few opportunities, slaves still exercised independence in every way possible. Both victimhood and agency have played an important role in the battle for equality, but that is not to say that either should be emphasized. Without such cruelty and inhumanity, slaves would not have been forced to exercise their free will. Both victimhood and agency influenced the transatlantic slave trade; this includes the Neirsee