“Child trafficking” began its career as a core international child protection issue in the late 1990s. It emerged from the union of the anti–child labor and anti–sex trafficking movements, which both underwent a resurgence at that time and paralleled a rise in focus on the commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Human trafficking usually starts in origin countries—namely, Southeast Asia, eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa—where recruiters seek migrants through various mediums such as the Internet, employment agencies, the media, and local contacts.
1525 marked the first slave voyage from Africa to the Americas. Over the next roughly 350 years, during a period known as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, some 12.5 million slaves were shipped from Africa around the world. 10.7 million arrived in the Americas, including the Caribbean, South America, and North America.
Child trafficking is very common in Africa, particularly West Africa, where approximately 100 percent of all human trafficking victims were children.
Sex traffickers target children because of their vulnerability and gullibility, as well as the market demand for young victims. Those who recruit minors into prostitution violate federal anti-trafficking laws, even if there is no coercion or movement across state lines.
Traffickers are adept at identifying people with noticeable vulnerabilities or needs. They may scour specific locations such as bus stations, shelters, or local malls looking for someone without a safe place to stay or who they may be able to charm with their flattery and attention.
Children account for half of the victims of human trafficking. In fact, the average age that a young person becomes involved in sex trafficking is 12 years old.
The average age of child sex trafficking victims are between the ages of 11-14 Family members exclusively traffic most children under the age of ten. 74% of child trafficking cases involved sex trafficking, and the majority of those involved pimp-controlled prostitution.
Dallas, TX. Texas, as a border state, is among the worst human trafficking offenders in the US, with labor and sex exploitation problems affecting all of its major cities, including Dallas.
There is no single profile of a trafficking victim. Victims of human trafficking can be anyone—regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, education level, or citizenship status.
Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. It is an extreme form of labor exploitation where women, men and children are recruited or obtained and then forced to labor against their will through force, fraud or coercion. Trafficking victims are often lured by false promises of decent jobs and better lives.
Sex trafficking can have devastating consequences for children, including long-lasting physical and psychological trauma, sexually transmitted infections, substance use disorders, unplanned pregnancy, and mental health problems, such as depression and suicidal ideation.
One of the most effective ways traffickers recruit victims is by making false promises. They may offer romantic involvement or a job opportunity. They may give the person a feeling of security, giving them hope for a better future.
Victims frequently fall prey to traffickers who lure them in with an offer of food, clothes, attention, friendship, love, and a seemingly safe place to sleep.
There are more than 365,000 missing children in our country each year. 30% of those missing are being trafficked (approximately 109,000 children).
Improving access to good-quality health, social welfare and criminal justice support services for children survivors of trafficking. Working with other governments, and with businesses, to prevent, intercept and address trafficking and prosecute criminal networks which transcend national borders.
Report a Tip. Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline Visit disclaimer page if you have any concerns about a potential trafficking situation. Call 1-888-373-7888, text HELP to BEFREE (233733), or email [email protected].
WorldPopulationReview.com has an interactive map that allows you to view up-to-date human trafficking statistics by state. According to their data, there are 4 states that have the highest rates of human trafficking in the United States: California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
Factors contributing to the trafficking in girls include: poverty, the low status of girls, lack of education, inadequate or non-existent legislation related to trafficking, as well as the lack of law enforcement.