How Child Sexual Exploitation Is Understood By Social Workers And Other Professionals Essay

Sex trafficking, particularly that of children, has become a growing concern in the United States over the past several decades (Kotrla, 2010). By definition, child sex trafficking is “when a child (under 18 years of age) is induced to perform a commercial sex act” (U.S., 2013, para. 4), and includes forms such as prostitution and pornography (Kotrla, 2010). Researchers suggest that children are the most vulnerable to becoming victims of prostitution (Kotrla), and it is estimated that there are at least 100,000 victims in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001). Sex traffickers, otherwise known as “pimps,” often lure children with promises of food, clothing, love, and shelter, and then the pimps manipulate the children to keep them in prostitution (U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ], 2015). Awareness of the issue has led to the development of organizations, such as Children of the Night, that seek to help victims escape the sex trafficking industry (Children of the Night [COTN], 2016d).

More than ever, Child protection is a topical issue. That’s why many years ago the British government, aware of the fragility and vulnerability of children to adults, has implemented a number of laws relating to children and young people in the UK. These laws are made to define the inherent right of children, and also to define the implication of their rights for all those responsible of or using any childhood services; but more specifically what we will see through the legislation concerning the rights of children, is how they may impact the work of childcarers, how they can

“ She was just seventeen when she got into prostitution- child trafficking- but she didn’t know she was a victim at the time. She had been beaten and raped by her father since she was twelve years old.” (Zhai Yun, 1.) Young victims of youth sex trafficking are not just kidnapped by unknown people into this. It can be by their father, mother, brother, or sister. It can be forced upon them by people who have come into their life claiming they can make it better. When in reality it just makes it worse. They have no idea what they are getting into and what is going to happen to them. They are fed with lies and false pretentions of what is going to happen. They are caught in a trap that is hard to get out of. Often they are to scared to try to run or be rescued. They just do what they are told so that they live or so their loved ones live.

In the article, Characteristics of survivors of juvenile sex trafficking: Implications for treatment and intervention initiatives, the authors conducted the survey to understand what factors could have possibly contributed to the decision made by teenagers to consider the act of sex trafficking. The belief amongst the authors was that those who have survived juvenile sex trafficking have had experienced some abuse/neglect or even trauma (Hargreaves-Cormany & Patterson, 2016, p. 32). Not only are the researchers wondering about the abuse/neglect, but do the young women have a secure attachment with their family and peers or more of an insecure attachment. By having a secure attachment means that the child has a close relationship with those around them and s/he feels as though their basic needs are being met; physically and emotionally. The teenagers with an insecure attachment are not surrounded with love, respect and nurturing; all the things that one needs to grow in a positive way. The group of individuals that would be interested in this type of research would be that of counselors in trying to figure out what would entice young ladies to want to be sex traffickers and how would one implement interventions and counseling methods. In having teenagers experience situations such as neglect, lack of support, homelessness or even stress, one could be at risk in pursing the act of juvenile sex-trafficking.

In recent times safeguarding of children has once again come under spotlight with cases such as Madline McKan and the horrific murders of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells. Prior to this the Children’s act of 1984 and updated 2004 version highlighted that all professionals have an obligation to report suspected abuse. There was a public inquiry in 2000 to address the failure of the law which was not upholding the protection of vulnerable children. There was changes to the legislation and the government set up The Every Child Maters (ECM) initiative. This works in line with current legislation Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006 Act. This Act authorised guidance on how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in accordance with the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004. All organisations must have the succeeding policies and procedures:

All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, race, faith, belief or sexual orientation. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents and carers is essential. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined has protection of children from maltreatment & preventing impairment of childrenâ€TMs health or development. Ensuring those children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and undertaking that role so as to enable those children to have

The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 was originally created to protect a target population of children, under the age of 18, from child abuse and neglect; however, over the years this act has been amended and improved to protect a wider population, with many specific subpopulations, over the past 42 years. In the original text of the act, two specific populations are addressed with different goals: reducing the rate of child abuse in children under the age of eighteen, and improving the treatment of children who had been maltreated or neglected (National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2014). It is easy to see that this act and policies within it are aimed at protecting children specifically, yet looking only at the children,

The necessity to safeguard children applies both to charities working in the UK and other countries where children may face different or additional risks of abuse or exploitation. These safeguards should include a child protection policy and procedures for dealing with issues of concern or abuse. For the purposes of child protection legislation the term ‘child’ refers to anyone up to the age of 18 years. • the welfare of the child is paramount • no child or group of children must be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access services which meet their particular needs • all children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or

All practitioners have a duty to ensure the safety of children in their care. Children (in most cases) are unable to tell anyone if they are being abused, either out of fear, shame or because they are too young. Some children may even not realise that what is happening to them is wrong or any different to what happens to everyone else. Three quarters of sexually abused children under the age of 16 do not tell anybody what was happening to them at the time and a third still had not

This NGO report conducted by Hope For Justice investigates the UK and global markets for the exploitation of human beings, outlines the methods of exploitation and informs us of the ways in which Hope For Justice, a non-Government organisation, is contesting and fighting against the issue at hand. Sex trafficking is a sensitive and complex issue which consists of 3 primary elements: what criminals do (act), how criminals do it (means), and why criminals do it (purpose). By understanding these three elements, one is able to delve into the mind of a criminal.

Today, in our society, human trafficking and prostitution are bigger than ever. Men, women and even children are being taken to trade as sexual exploitation every day. As a whole, we need to stand against traffickers and those who are involved. We need to execute a plan to eliminate trafficking, spread awareness and provide help for those who have been trafficked, to show them they do have a choice. While many believe the selling and trading of sex is only another job and therefore should be made legal and safe, others feel that even sex between consenting adults is wrong and exploitative. However, both sides agree that prostitution is equal to slavery when children and young people are involved because of how hazardous the work is and the fact they cannot give legal consent for themselves. Children around the world are being taken at all ages, most are unaware they are even in danger until it’s too late. A report from the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on human trafficking in 2011 found that 234 out of 946 potential victims were children. Kids outside of Amsterdam, as young as ten years old, can be trafficked to work long hours on farms as house girls or in local bars. This can often lead to prostitution. The boys who are taken tend herds of

Traffickers manipulate adolescents and youth into the sex trafficking through targeting their emotional vulnerabilities. To begin, traffickers use threats, intimidation and violence to enforce or entice adolescents into trafficking. One adolescent, a runaway from Baltimore County, Maryland, is gang raped by a group of men associated with the trafficker, who thereafter executes a “rescue” (Walker-Rodriguez & Hill, 2011) Following the “rescue”, the trafficker imposes she recompense him by working for him as one of his prostitutes (Walker-Rodriguez & Hill, 2011). Unfortunately, in many cases youth are generally beaten up until they yield to the trafficker’s orders (Walker-Rodriguez & Hill, 2011).

This shows how, New laws are helping prevent, and remove children from these awful situations. The English government is preventing child abuse by putting the abusers in jail, and trying to convince people not to hold in the secrets about their abuse until it’s too late to help them. This makes it harder to have evidence, and find proof that the abuse actually did take place. Which will upset the victims because they know the truth. Child abuse is wrong, and some believe we are not doing enough to help these children in need. The English government is doing more than enough to help prevent, and take children out of these situations. According to, Report Details 16 Years Of 'Horrific Abuse' Of Children In U.K. Town… “"It is hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse the child victims suffered. They were raped by multiple perpetrators. They were trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England. They were abducted, beaten and intimidated," Jay said. Rotherham is a town of a quarter-million people in northern England. One question this raises is how such widespread abuse could have gone on for 16 years without local

I watched the documentary film Teenage Sex for Sale which explains how incredibly young girls in Britain become involved and abused by older men. As well as how the law enforcement is dealing with it. The film shifts the focus to the personal stories of a few girls who were lured into the life of child prostitution due to the initial attention the men would give them. Eventually, the girl’s intent to stay became their addiction to the drugs the men would give them in exchange for sex. Some of these girls did not even identify the abuse they were enduring until it was too late. The film has the girls and even a mother talk about their stories, using a fake name and an actress’s voice to disguise themselves. This is what showed how the young

This type of human trafficking includes both young boys and girls that ranges in age; mostly under the legal age of eighteen. CST is an illegal act in most countries, but men and women with various titles still participate in such criminal acts. The question that arises with such topic, is why do individuals who has no criminal records, married with kids, and/or has a comfortable working position participate in such illegal crime. Furthermore, how did the child that’s being sexual exploited dealt with such traumatic experience? Having to accept and psychologically transform your daily activities into a morally acceptable event will be difficult for that child.