The Cultural Acceptance Of Sex Trafficking And Child Prostitution

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 is hard not to wonder if these kids are being trafficked. Child sex trafficking, also known as human trafficking, is a major issue that is not only plaguing the United States, but the world. Residing in a state where teen sex trafficking is very common, it is imperative that not only adults, but the youth understand what child sex/human trafficking is, what is a sex-trafficker, and the data that reveals the seriousness of child sex

In certain communities in South Asia, the low status of girls has to be compensated for by the payment of a dowry by the parents of the girl to the husband at the time of marriage. This has resulted in a number of dowry crimes, including mental and physical torture, starvation, rape, and even the burning alive of women by their husbands and/or in-laws in cases where dowry payments are not met.

The sex trade is not a choice; there many situational factors contributing as to how these women and children got into the sex trade. Most of the women and children who are bought and trafficked into this industry are vulnerable or have a background of abuse and neglect (4425 Hossain). Exploiters use the vulnerability to their advantage by making promises of stability and love to lure their victims in. Many

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.

Women and children who are being sexually exploited are often found in the urban areas of Thailand, but even rural areas have a share of commercial sex workers (Lau, June 2008). The Thai society is extremely male dominated as men are considered superior to women and hold the government and societal power (Vejar & Quach, May 2013). Foreign investors have a great deal of power in Thailand as the country has become more dependent tourism and manufacturing rather than the traditional small farm economy (Geary & Meyer, June 1993).

Because She Looks Like a Child, written by Kevin Bales, focuses on Siri, a fifteen-year-old girl living in Thailand, who was sold into prostitution by her father. Once the brothel took her in, Siri was informed she owed 200,000 baht and that she owed 30,000 baht per month for living expenses. Though prostitution is illegal Kevin Bales explains that this is very common in Thailand. Their fathers out of debt bondage or to be able to afford modern conveniences such as color televisions and video equipment sell thousands of young girls into prostitution. It is stated that directly enslaving girls through kidnapping is unnecessarily as village families are readily willing to sell their young daughters. The girls, who are sold, go to the brothels voluntarily as they are completely unaware of what they will be doing once they reach their destinations. The living conditions are terrible for these young girls and they have little chance of paying off their debt. However, once they become infected with HIV or are

Governments are aware of trafficking, however there isn’t prevention of it. In Children for Sale, it highlights poverty in Cambodia and how it led to girls being tricked into trafficking with the promise of money (Doc C). These girls are placed into situations, where they’re willing to do anything in order to put food on the

There have been enormous questions on the effects that globalization has had on sex trafficking. Some have argued that globalization is characterized with the global efforts, funding and regional legislation that undermine the spread of the sex trading. However, the increased liberalization and other factors such as the presence of the internet have heavily favored sex trade globally and especially in the United States of America (U.S.A). The United States has been a destination for the many immigrants from third world countries and others that have been encroached with wars and terrorist activities.  According to the National Human Trafficking (2017), 4460 cases of the trafficking were recorded in the U.S.A of which 3186 cases reported were linked to sex trafficking. In 2016, the reported human trafficking cases tremendously increased in 7621, and the sex trafficking cases reported also increased to 5593. The reported sex trafficking cases were 4183, 3593, 3380, 2382 in 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012 respectively (National Human Trafficking, 2017, 1). From the cases recorded by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, it is evident that globalization has created a favorable environment for the sex and the human trafficking. The economic, political and legal environment created by the globalization favors the spread of sex trade in the United States of America.

I say this because it seems as though the countries themselves did not wholeheartedly believe in the policies they were creating and enforcing against forced and voluntary sexual labor. In the three Southeastern Asian countries mentioned, the one thing they have in common is the massive amounts of money they get on tourists coming into their countries, a huge part of this attraction is the industry of sex worker, which seemingly went unchecked. In fact, the Thai government even promoted the expansion of the sexual tourism industry way past the 1980s . Of Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, Cambodia faces the worst and most perilous human trafficking industry for sexual labor. To give one example, Cambodian children are sold as “virgins” of course it would not be profitable if every girl or boy was only used once, so the girls are sewn up, and the clients cannot tell the difference because they only observe the child bleeding and in pain . The first anti-trafficking regulations in Cambodia appeared in 1996, was named the Law on Suppression of Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Exploitation of Human Persons . Now to one it may seem as though Cambodia has made strives to cure the sexual slavery, seeing as the law led to an increase in the prosecution of sex traffickers, however the legislation did not put in place protection and rehabilitation centers for the

Sex trafficking is a frightening reality for many young girls in our world. It's a money making endeavor that sells the youth of little girls around the world, sometimes with no repercussions of any kind. Even if we do not hear about it often in our day to day lives, every moment, a vast number of girls are being sold by sometimes otherwise unsuspecting looking people. In 2017 alone, there were more than 200 cases of sex trafficking in the United States(Aguirre, 2017). Sex trafficking violates our basic human rights by robbing these girls of their freedom by making them slaves to their pimps(Human Trafficking: A Human Rights Abuse with Global Dimensions, Birkenthal, p. 27). They ensnare them in a world of ongoing physical abuse, rape, exposure to diseases like HIV and AIDS, and both mental and emotional trauma. Why does this harrowing crime take place and who are the victims? Sex trafficking occurs due to financial struggle and an unpleasant home life.

The state of social and economic disarray that plagues villages surrounding Thailand makes them easy prey for trafficking. According to Toward Freedom, and organization dedicated to advancement of human rights, peace, justice, enlightenment, and freedom from oppression, “Brothel owners have networks of agents combing the villages for troubled families with daughters, making tempting offers of good jobs in the big cities and resort areas” (“Toward”). The most common scenario for troubled families is that they are in debt and are without proper paying jobs. Families are offered up to an entire year’s salary and are also told their children will be going to a better life. Many families know they can’t support their children and see this as their only option. The economic issue prevalent is not unique to Thailand. According to Asia Times, an organization designed to report on Asian political, economic and business

Imagine a four year old girl growing up in contemporary Cambodia. Each morning she wakes up miles from home, homesick and scared. She is forced to beg for money for the brothel that she belongs to, and all of her earnings go straight to her master. Then, that night, about seven men come to the brothel. These men, some as old as fifty, often pay as little as two dollars to partake in sexual intercourse with these school-aged children. The toddlers enslaved in the horrific sex trade are forever stripped of their purity, making human trafficking a major issue in present day Cambodia. Over 30,000 children are sexually exploited annually (“Children for Sale”), and millions have been forced into human trafficking

Child brides are a little voiced problem that occur around the world. Fourteen million girls become child brides every year, a number that is increasing due to the growing populations of countries where child marriage is common (Fisher). I chose to focus on child brides specifically in Africa and the Middle East due to the high instances of child marriages in those parts of the world. In my research I also found that child brides are very common in South Asia and South America as well. In Niger, Chad, Mali, Bangladesh, Guinea, Central African Republic, Mozambique, and Nepal over half of girls are married before they turn eighteen (Fisher).This is largely due to traditional tribal practices, cultural norms, and an overall lack of education.

The small country of Cambodia has become a transit, source, and destination for child trafficking victims. There are many children going through Cambodia from Vietnam and Thailand as a result of child trafficking (“Human Trafficking” 2). In 2006 Cambodia was one of the busiest spots in the world for child trafficking, with many of those victims being delivered into the sex trade in Thailand, Malaysia, Macao and Taiwan (“Global Crime Case: The Modern Slave Trade” 1). Child trafficking is happening all over the country but t one place notorious is Svay Pak, a run-down village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh (“Children for Sale” 4). As tourists in Svay Pak you are bombarded by many young children assuming you are there for sex. Throughout the village there are many girls as young as nine who are for sale. As stated by the reporter Bob Mosier, “You have an 8-year old or 9-year-old little girl you know just looking at you smiling, realizing that you’re going to in just a few

The enormously high poverty rate, coupled with the crackdown on pedophilia in the western world makes Cambodia particularly vulnerable and child sex trafficking has become a lucrative way to exploit the country’s natural resources. One of the young girls featured in the film, Da-Lin, tells her story - “I sold my virginity to an old man for $500, I did it to help my family, my parents were sick and my brothers and sisters are young and had to go to school, my virginity was the only thing of value we had” (2:15). Another young girl explains how she suffered a stroke due to the abuse she endured. The stories go on and on, young children sold as child sex workers by their husbands, boyfriends, friends and family members. They cannot seek help from the authorities for fear of imprisonment, and they face exile from their villages due to shame.