Child Prostitution And The Exploitation Of Children 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).

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.

Females and children have a greater risk for sexual exploitation. Approximately eighty percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls up to fifty percent are minors. Although the average age of entry for children victimized by sex trade is twelve years old. It is estimated that seventy six percent of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the internet. Over seventy one percent of trafficked children show suicidal tendencies. Two million children are subjected to prostitution in the global sex trade.

Sex trafficking is essentially systemic rape for profit. Force, fraud and coercion are used to control the victim’s behavior which may secure the appearance of consent to please the buyer (or john). Behind every transaction is violence or the threat of violence (Axtell par. 4). Just a decade ago, only a third of the countries studied by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had legislation against human trafficking. (Darker Side, par.1) Women, children, and even men are taken from their homes, and off of the streets and are brought into a life that is almost impossible to get out of. This life is not one of choice, it is in most times by force. UNODC estimates that the total international human trafficking is a

This essay also focuses on the issues of child – sex trafficking. The study claimed that trafficking women especially children for sexual slavery is one the fastest growing common criminal and a social issue in the world. The study states that in the united states, almost 6 in 10 identified trafficking survivors were trafficked for sexual abuse. Out of that figure, 98% of the victims are female and 70% of it are children. This because the number of victims of sex trafficking is children, this may go as young as the age of eight. This is because children are easy targets when

Sex Trafficking is the act of forcing someone into performing any sexual act. Anyone under the age of 18 who is selling or being sold to perform a sex act is a victim to sex

Many people have their own definitions of sex trafficking and human trafficking. A lot of people in the U.S believe that all prostitution is voluntary when that is not the case. As Lerum and Brents stated, “Human trafficking is defined by the U.S. State Department of State as labor induced by force, fraud, or coercion. The definition of trafficking in the sex industry (but not other industries) includes additional stipulations for individuals under 18: “When a child (under 18 years of age) is recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, or maintained to perform a commercial sex act, proving force, fraud, or coercion is not necessary for the offense to be characterized as human trafficking” (U.S. Dept. of State 2014, p. 29).” In addition, reliable data when it comes to human trafficking is hard to achieve when definitions of the word are always changing. Most of the criminal justice

Throughout the 21st century, the number of human beings being capture and put into sex trafficking and prostitution has risen. In 2013, about 270,000 young boys, girls, and women were forced into human trafficking in the United States alone and estimated 20.9 million in the world. The UN has also estimated that nearly 4,000,000 are trafficked each year. UNICEF has estimated that as many as 50% of all trafficking victims worldwide are minors and that as many as two thirds of those adolescents are at some point forced into the sex trade. This is a 52 billion dollar industry. Two kids are sold every minute, 120 per hour. In other cases mothers of these children would sell them off for money due to financial reason, which

Prostitution, according to Merriam-Webster, is the act of engaging in sexual activities in exchange of money. It is a business transaction between the sex worker and the client, one that is considered illegal here in America save for the brothels in Nevada.

According to (Clawson J Heather, Dutch Nicole, Solomon Amy, and Grace Goldblatt Lisa. Aspe. Human Trafficking Into and Within the United States: A Review of the Literature Aspe 30, Aug 2009.) “Only a recent estimate of minors at risk for sexual exploitation comes close to estimating U.S. domestic trafficking. Between 244,000 and 325,000 American youth are considered at risk for sexual exploitation, and an estimated 199,000 incidents of sexual exploitation of minors occur each year in the United States (Estes & Weiner, 2001). These figures, however, are limited estimates of youth at risk for human trafficking and do not address adult U.S. citizens trafficked into the sex industry or American children and adults trafficked for

Juvenile prostitution could be define as the time in which a teenage under the age of 18 engage in sexual activities in exchange of money, property, or for mainly other reason than satisfy one emotional or sexual needs. When we think of juvenile prostitution we usually think that these grills sell their self for pleasure or because they want to but, the reality is that this crime is escalating to a level that our teenagers are becoming like slave in the 2009 this crime is getting worst and our community is not concern that this people are usually tacking our teenagers to prostitute them.

arrenged three world congresses against sexual explotation of children and Adolescents. The first one took place in Sweden in 1996, the second one was in Japan in 2001 and the third one was in Brazil in 2008. ECPAT took a leading role in these congresses with the aid of many International organizations such as WHO, ILO, UNICEF and many NGO groups that are willing to help to end worldwide child prostitution. ( Ecpatinternational.org, 2015 ). These acts was very helpful to end child prostitution, but it is also needed to conduct campaigns in social media because it is fact that a global response from millions can be incentive to accomplish a goal. One of the most successful social media campaign in recent years was ice bucket challenge that helped

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 modern world today is proud to recognize the equality that has been acknowledged between age, gender, and race. Women are beginning to be treated as equals with men, in new customs, lifestyle, society, and economy. Today, women are freer and are liberated from their traditional roles as housewives, and are pursuing their hopes and dreams. However, this is not the case in many regions of the world. In the developing countries, thousands of females are dehumanized by prostitution and the trafficking of women and children is dehumanizing which serves only to benefit men. It exploits and violates the rights of women in the developing world. Sexual exploitation, which includes sex tourism,

“Police and social workers say that more than 20,000 people are brought into the United States each year by exploitative labor traffickers and that at least half the victims are children” (Startribune, 2009, paragraph 1). This number only includes the definite amount of victims that authority figures have identified as victims. It does not take in account for all of the unreported victims which are currently working as slaves or even possibly deceased from being beaten to death. And, according to the Star Tribune, each year, more than 10,000 of these victims, trafficked into the United States, are children. So, how do more than 10,000 children find themselves trafficked to North America on yearly basis? In order to answer this question