Child Trafficking

Abstract

Child trafficking is the mechanism by which children are transported or traded for profit explicitly for the purposes of exploitation. There are two primary types of trafficking: cross-border international trafficking and domestic trafficking within the United States. While the research is scant regarding the actual number of trafficked youth, human trafficking ranks third among the most profitable ventures of organized crime syndicates. Trafficking offenders vary across organizational activity and demographic characteristics. More specifically, traffickers can be members of larger criminal organizations or acting independent of other parties. They can be American citizens or foreign born. They can be men or women as well as members of the racial majority or racial minority. Further complicating the profile of the child trafficker are the numerous functions or roles a trafficker can assume in CSEC. For example, traffickers can be investors, recruiters, transporters, public officials, informers, debt collectors, or money launderers. Regardless of the offender or the role they assume, the unfortunate reality exists that child trafficking remains a profitable industry because of the increasing demand for children to sexually exploit. Minors victimized by trafficking are commonly identified as “throw away kids.” Internationally and domestically, exploited children are targeted because of their economic status, social standing, and/or familial relationships. Some children are coerced or abducted while others are controlled through the use of violence, drugs, social isolation, and other forms of exploitation and coercion.