Sex Trafficking Children

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).

Children within the United States who are being trafficked are part of what is called, domestic minor sex trafficking. These adolescents are citizens who have been forced, coerced, or misled to become a part of the commercial sex industry. Some of the most common ways to force minors into trafficking is through exotic dancing also known as stripping, brothels, porn, escorting, and massage services just to name a few (Minor Domestic Sex Trafficking). It is disturbing to know that there are children who are going through this. In order to create prevention and intervention programs for trafficking, it is important to understand what a sex trafficker is and the strategies they use to recruit children.

Nothing drives emotions out the window more than hearing about innocent children being used for sex. In Cambodia, sex trafficking has grown into a troublesome issue. Sex trafficking has become one of the fastest growing crimes occurring internationally. It is the third largest crime-business in the world, after drugs and arms trafficking. Women, girls, and even men and boys are victims of the billion-dollar sex trafficking industry. Sex trafficking occurs everywhere, and it is not culturally specific, but a gender specific issue. There are numerous cases of sex trafficking within Cambodia, however child sex trafficking is extremely captivating and distressing to learn about.

Human trafficking affects our children and our schools more than most realize. It is estimated that more than 200,000 American children are trafficked each year in America. Victims of trafficking often come from vulnerable populations, including migrants, oppressed or marginalized groups, runaways or displaced persons, and the poor (Talati). The children most likely to be targeted by traffickers are those not living with their parents, who are vulnerable to coerced labor exploitation, domestic servitude, or prostitution. Sex traffickers target children because of their vulnerability and gullibility, as well as the market demand for young victims. Studies have shown that it is not just high school children at risk, demonstrating that pimps prey on victims as young as 12 years old. Victims

When a person thinks of sex trade, or sex trafficking, or human trafficking, they are often not informed of the numbers and rates that this crime is happening in. Looking at how many people have their freedom taken away daily is ridiculous.

Kotrla, K., & Wommack, B. A. (2011). Sex Trafficking of Minors in the U.S.: Implications for Policy, Prevention and Research. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk: Vol. 2 (Iss. 1), article 5.

Boyd, Danah. "How Censoring Craigslist Helps Pimps, Child Traffickers and Other Abusive Scumbags." HuffingtonPost.com, 6 Sept. 2010, www.huffingtonpost.com/danah-boyd/how-censoring-craigslist-_b_706789.html. Accessed 25 Mar. 2017. This Huffington Post article not only discusses the internet's affect on human sex trafficking and sexual abuse, but focuses on the impact that "Craigslist" has had on the black market of sex trafficking and prostitution. Author Danah Boyd writes about her research into sexual abuse and how she believes that the censorship placed onto Craigslist has become more of a help rather than a hindrance for sex traffickers and pimps to find victims.

In this article we got to see the struggles that the girls went through from start to finish. It explained how the girls were promised better live but instead were forced to do these acts for many hours of the day every day of the week. It included the threats and rules the girls needed to follow. This information allows you to feel that you can understand and relate to what they went through. He explained that the police are trying to figure out what is the next step and what they can do to free other victims around the world.

Have you ever walked into Wal-Mart and taken the time to look at the numerous pictures of missing youth that is plastered on the wall? When looking at how long they have been missing, it ranges anywhere from months to years. Looking at their age, both boys and girls, it’s hard not to wonder if they have been kidnapped and are being trafficked. Child sex trafficking also known as human trafficking is a major issue that is not only plaguing the United States, but also the world. Residing in a state where teen sex trafficking is very common, it is imperative that not only adults, but youth as well understand what child sex/human trafficking is, what is a sex-trafficker, and data that displays how serious child sex trafficking is.

The month of January has many important events to remember, for example; New Year's Eve and Day, birthdays, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But many people may not know that the eleventh of January is dedicated to making people aware of the horrible crime known as human trafficking, or more specifically, child trafficking (National Human). Human Trafficking has plagued cities and countries all around the world; many of those victims are as young as nine years old while the average age ranges from 12 to 14 years old. The state of California houses three of the thirteen highest trafficked places: San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles (11 Facts). Because 300,000 Americans under the age of 18 are lured into child trafficking every year, organizations

Child sex trafficking is the profitable sexual act induced by force, fraud, coercion or a person is lured to have sex before they reach 18 years of age. It includes all the activities of recruiting, harboring, patronizing, advertising, transporting or obtaining children for sexual services involuntarily, through servitude, debt bondage, peonage or slavery. Due to advanced technology, it has acquired new course. It has become a complex phenomenon involving multiple stakeholders at commercial as well as institutional level. It is the modern-day form of slavery perpetrated against minors regardless of their race, class, socioeconomic status, education, gender, cultural conditions or citizenship (“Department of Justice," 2015).

When some people hear the expression “child sex trafficking” inevitably unspeakable thoughts come to mind, others are unaware this is even happening. Sex trafficking is a serious criminal issue taking place within the borders of the United States, but on the outside of these boarders this crime stands as a reliable source of income for those who participate. Although child sex trafficking is a local crime it is obvious that multiple nations have different viewpoints on the topic. The problem at hand is meeting in the middle where this situation can exist without creating a riot with residents and eliminating the destruction of young children’s lives. Though this topic is a sensitive one, there are ways to allow it to coexist in everyday

As reported by Central Intelligence Agency, they suggest that sex trafficking of minors have remained hidden because U.S and Eastern European countries have current situations of sex trafficking but they might not conform to the laws and guidelines to stop the trafficking. As said by the CIA, “Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children to be subjected to sex trafficking, as the while children and women are trafficked to European and Middle Eastern countries like Ukraine and Russia and within Belarus for sexual exploitation”. The tier rating and failure to address the issue in agreement with the CIA states that “Belarus has not fully complied with the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking; there has been no convictions of any traffickers and conducted the little to none investigations in the last four years; and lastly funding for NGOs that provide service to victims has not been implemented.” Child sex trafficking is often misunderstood by peers and the law who second guess children as being victims and blame them for the lifestyle they “choose”.

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).

The sex industry is rather large in Hungary and the majority of prostitutes who are called “sex workers” willingly participate in their act. There are many reasons why they choose this “occupation”. With the recent economic downturn numerous people were left without a job, and they need to act to survive. Most of these people decide to work as a prostitute, because the poverty level is high, they don't have opportunities to train for new jobs or their educational level is low to reach another level or society. The absolute majority strongly believe that their activity is merely a source