Child Sex Trafficking - Essay Example

Child Sex Trafficking Introduction Trafficking of human beings is a modern form of slavery. It is a crime that violates the rights of people, especially children and women. This is because both women and children are more vulnerable to sex trafficking. Trafficking in persons has significant impacts across the globe. Its effects are felt by so many people. This essay discusses the extent to which the problem of sexual exploitation of children impacts people in the United States of America. Details about the causes, contributing factors and how child sex trafficking is carried out, including prevalence rates are provided. In this essay, the current activities of the United States’ government to address child sex trafficking are analyzed and discussed. The essay also provides some policy recommendations, in the form of ideas and suggestions on how to reduce the prevalence of child sex trafficking in the United States of America. Prevalence of Child Sex Trafficking in the United States of America Child sex trafficking is prevalent, not only in the United States of America, but also across the world because children are particularly prone to human trafficking. 27% of the global trafficking victims are children (Siskin & Wyler, 2013). These children have been exploited sexually in the commercial sex industry or as sex slaves. Women and child sex trafficking is so prevalent in the world that the United Nations Organization, through its Sectary General, Kofi Annan, termed the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation as an international plague (Phinney, 2013). This crime is more prevalent in Eastern Europe and Asia, but evidence shows that women and child sex trafficking is a significant problem in America. It is associated with abuse of human rights (Phinney, 2013). Child sex trafficking involves the ‘purchase’ of a person. Later, the ‘purchased’ person is forced to engage in sexual acts for the economic benefit of the trafficker. Child sex traffickers capitalize on poor and the illiterate children. It should be noted that in most cases, child sex trafficking victims lack escape means, forcing them to remain in torture for so long. Victims of sex trafficking in the United States are overlooked. Authorities interpret that these victims are deviant and prostitutes (Brooks, 2011). Very many women and children are trafficked into the United States each year. The precise number of human trafficking victims is not yet known because the figures provided are not absolute, but mere estimates. This means that the figures could be much higher than what is reported. For instance, more than 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders every year and out of these, about 15,000 and 18,000 victims were trafficked into the United States from Asia, Central and South America and Eastern Europe, according to a report from the US Department of State’s 2008 Trafficking in Persons (Walters & Davis, 2011). In addition, there are internal victims of domestic trafficking. The Mexico-US border leads in child sex trafficking in the United States. Every year, about 20,000 young women and children are trafficked across the Mexico-US border (Walters & Davis, 2011). The situation is made worse by the fact that the rate of conviction of traffickers is still very low. The risks that face child sex trafficking victims are still very high. For instance, about 500 people die while being trafficked, as the traffickers make attempts to cross the border (Walters & Davis, 2011). The most recent year for which statistics are available is 2009, and the US department of Homeland Security reported that 417 people died while crossing the US-Mexico border (Walters & Davis, 2011). The figures could be higher than this because the cases indicated are those that are discovered and reported. Therefore, more cases could be hidden, unidentified or unreported. The victims of sex trafficking are normally young people, as mentioned earlier. Young people, especially girls become victims of child sex trafficking when traffickers decide to single them out (Walters & Davis, 2011). These young girls are lied to that they can travel for free; as long as they promise pay these debts later by working. These smugglers use false promises of jobs and economic opportunities in the United State for the young girls. They use various tactics to deceive young girls. For instance, the traffickers give the young girls gifts during their journey to show them favoritism. However, these young girls are shocked to learn that they should pay debts to the traffickers on arrival. They are advised to pay these debts by working in the sex industry (Walters & Davis, 2011). They are then forced to live in conditions similar to those of slavery, forced into prostitution, and are engaged in domestic service and forced labor. They are raped, terrorized, starved and forced to take drugs. Children at the age of 12 years old are involved in child sex trafficking and the most vulnerable are those who hail from broken homes, runaways, throwaways and disfranchised children (Walters & Davis, 2011). These children are used in the sex industry for a very short period during which they are attractive and young enough. Later, they are abandoned, victimized or killed to avoid disclosure. This means that as the child sex traffickers discard children who they feel have grown old or unattractive demand for new children rises and this leads to the creation of an endless cycle of supply and demand. Another factor that contributes to child sex trafficking is sex tourism. Cases of sex tourism involving children, especially along the US-Mexico border are widespread (Walters & Davis, 2011). This involves young children below the age of 18 years who are forced to engage in commercial sex by traffickers. These children are forced to have sex with tourists for exchange of money, which is normally taken by the sex traffickers. It is not only child sex traffickers that exploit children sexually. Some families force their children into sex trade so as to contribute to household income (Walters & Davis, 2011). It is therefore, very discouraging that even some family members are involved in sex child trafficking. Familial trafficking involves trading or renting of one’s child for sexual use by another person in exchange of food, money or drugs (Territo & Glover, 2013). Familial trafficking happens at a very alarming rate in the United States. This problem is so prevalent that Shared Hope International, one of the best NGOs in the United States, noted it frequently in its assessments (Territo & Glover, 2013). Effects of child sex trafficking include life-threatening health consequences. In fact, child sex trafficking denies the victims their right to attain the highest possible level of physical mental and social well-being (Phinney, 2013). These effects come as a result of the trafficking itself and sexual exploitation. Cases of child sex trafficking and the torture involved go unreported because victims are afraid of authorities and the police. This because of a belief among child sex trafficking victims that if they report the abuse that they have undergone to authorities or police, the police might be arrest, deport or victimize them further (Walters & Davis, 2011). In the United States, human trafficking is common in all the fifty states and the victims include children or adults, either male or female. There are very few facts that are known about child sexual trafficking. In addition, the few facts about child sex trafficking are constantly changing. This calls for action from the government so as to reduce the prevalence of child sex trafficking. The Government Action in Addressing Child Sex Trafficking Investigation and prosecution of human trafficking is often carried out by various states of the United States. Majority of the states outlaw child sex trafficking (Finklea, Fernandes-Alcantra, & Siskin, 2012). In particular, Congress has focused recent attention on domestic child sex trafficking and involvement of children who are under 18 years in commercial sex. Reports indicate that more people are victims of sex trafficking than labor trafficking, including children (Finklea, Fernandes-Alcantra, & Siskin, 2012). The government, through the Trafficking Violence Protection Act, has been able to undertake prosecution of traffickers, provide social services for victims and obtain immigration status for international victims. This act was enacted in October 2000 by Congress. Initially, there was no comprehensive federal law meant to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute the traffickers. According to the Trafficking Violence Protection Act, there are two severe forms of child sex trafficking; sex trafficking in which the victim, who has not attained the age of 18 years is forced, coerced or deceived to induce him or her to perform a commercial sex act, and the recruitment, harboring, obtaining labor services or transporting a person so as to subject him or her to involuntary servitude, debt bondage or slavery by use of fraud, force and coercion (Walters & Davis, 2011). The act states that any child who is under the age of 18 years that is involved in the sex industry is trafficked, even if the trafficker may not involved force, fraud or coercion (Walters & Davis, 2011). The Trafficking Violence Protection Act involves NGOs in resisting sex trafficking. The government has engaged extensive outreach to NGOs because they are the first contact point with sex trafficking victims (Armaline, Glasberg, & Purkayastha, 2011). Therefore, the U.S Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 has been adopted in the United States to address the inadequacy of the existing legislation. Though the act has been undergoing amendments, it seeks to prevent trafficking, punishing traffickers and preventing or assisting victims (Phinney, 2013). The current act that the United States’ government applies in addressing child sex trafficking is the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2013 (U.S. Department of State, 2014). The government has also expanded its support significantly on its commitment to end human trafficking, especially child trafficking. This has been done by funding anti-trafficking programs (The Action Group, 2008). According to Clayton, Krugman and Simon (2013), many children still face the risk of commercial sexual exploitation. This means that the government has to increase its efforts in addressing the issue of child sex trafficking so as to reduce its prevalence. Therefore, this essay provides the following policy recommendations, which could aid in curbing child sex trafficking. First, there should be training and creation of awareness to ensure law enforcement. It has been established that there is insufficient knowledge for society, there lacks funding and that there are no trained authorities to address the issue of child sex trafficking (Brooks, 2011). In addition, there lacks training and understanding of child sex trafficking among state child protection service agencies, and this has led to the labeling of child sex trafficking as child sexual abuse. This is mislabeling because the commercial aspect in child sex trafficking is lost when it is labeled as child sexual abuse. Training should involve institutions such as schools, social service institutions on the recognition of and response to child sex trafficking. The government should also ensure that it trains on local law enforcement. This should involve prosecutors and judges in investigations, prosecution and prevention. With sufficient training in investigations, prevention and prosecution on matters pertaining to child sex trafficking, prevalence rates can be reduced drastically. In addition, the government should seek to intervene and support runaway children, as well as, those who have been exploited and are at a risk of being trafficked. The government should further institute public programs for victims of trafficking so as to train them. This should also include rescue programs. Finally, the United States’ government should collaborate with bordering countries in preventing child sex trafficking (Walters & Davis, 2011). This is because collaboration with other countries means that the source of children who are trafficked will be protected while the destination will be protected also. This will prevent child sex trafficking. References Armaline, W. T., Glasberg, D. S., & Purkayastha, B. (2011). Human Rights in Our Own Backyard: Injustice and Resistance in the United States. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Brooks, K. K. (2011, December). Sex Trafficking: Victims Unique Experiences and Psychosocial Needs Post Trafficking. Retrieved from http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/51132/New-Sex-Trafficking-Proposal.pdf?sequence=1 Clayton, E. W., Krugman, R. D., & Simon, P. (2013). Confronting Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking of Minors in the United States. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press. Finklea, K. M., Fernandes-Alcantra, A. L., & Siskin, A. (2012). Sex Trafficking of Children in the United States: Overview and Issues for. New York: DIANE Publishing Ltd . Phinney, A. (2013). Trafficking of Women and Children for Sexual Exploitation in the Americas. Women, Health and Development Program, 1-14. Siskin, A., & Wyler, L. S. (2013). Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress. Congressional Research Service, 1-75. Territo, L., & Glover, N. (2013). Criminal Investigation of Sex Trafficking in America. New York : CRC Press. The Action Group. (2008, November). Recommendations for Fighting Human Trafficking in the United States and Abroad. Retrieved from http://www.freetheslaves.net/Document.Doc?id=96 U.S. Department of State. (2014). U.S. Laws on Trafficking in Persons. Retrieved from http://www.state.gov/j/tip/laws/ Walters, J., & Davis, P. H. (2011). Human Trafficking, Sex Tourism, and Child Exploitation on the Southern Border. Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy forChildren at Risk, 2 (1), 1-18. Read More