Child Trafficking: Selling Children into Slavery and Prostitution
"Children are purchased like buffaloes," said Bhuvan Ribhu of the Save the Childhood Movement. "While buffaloes may cost up to 15,000 rupees ($350 American), children are sold at prices between 500 and 2,000 rupees ($12 and $45 American)." He went on to tell the story of two brothers who were recently "given away for 250 rupees each, or $6 in American money."
As much as we in America do not want to recognize it, children are now being treated like a commodity on the black market. Sometimes they are simply relocated within their own country. More often they are moved across borders. They are sold for purposes like forced labor, prostitution, pornography, organ removal, or even as child soldiers. They are in high demand as cheap domestic labor, for farm work, and especially for sexual exploitation. Some girls, as young as 13 years of age, are sold as mail-order brides where they are isolated, abused, raped, and subjected to various forms of torture.
Sometimes children are gently persuaded to comply by members of their own family or by friends, with promises of a better life. Other times, they are forced or coerced. Sometimes they are simply tricked or drugged into submission.
Rough estimates indicate that children account for between 40 and 50 percent of all human trafficking victims, for as many as 1.2 million children.
Often, because sexual activity is considered a private matter, authorities are even reluctant to intervene, even in cases of obvious sexual exploitation. Technological advances like the Internet, which has made child pornography easy to obtain, has also added to the problem. Even more outlandish beliefs like AIDS can be cured by having sex with a virgin only further muddy the waters, adding to the vulnerability of children.
Statistics by UNICEF report that:
- Between 30 and 35 percent of all sex workers in . . . Southeast Asia are between the ages of 12 and 17.
- More than 16,000 Mexican children are engaged in prostitution.
- Between 20 and 50 percent of Lithuania prostitutes are believed to be minors.
- Children as young as 11 have been found working as prostitutes.
- Children as young as 10 years of age have been used to make pornographic photos and/or movies.
Unfortunately, child trafficking has become a lucrative business that is directly linked with highly organized criminal activity. It is well hidden underground and very difficult to find and deal with. This makes even the strictest laws against child trafficking hard to enforce.
A myriad of child protection groups and agencies have stepped forward to help deal with this issue, when the authorities can'' - - or won't. These include organizations like UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Child Trafficking (.com), and Human Rights Watch (.org). For more information on this topic, or to lend your support, contact one or more of these groups. Together, we can make a difference and help to stop this horrendous crime.
Published by Charlotte Kuchinsky
I'm an author, columnist and poet. I have done extensive business, creative and technical writing and written curriclum for high schools, colleges and universities. I am currently the principal writer for a... View profile
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19 Comments
Post a CommentThank you, Charlotte, for bringing this to our attention. While we know it's going on, we never know the extent or how we can help. Btw, Ryan Gosling, Canadian actor most famous for "The Notebook", tweeted this story yesterday. You are reaching far more people than just your AC audience and considering the subject matter - that is a good step in the right direction.
I think this is a horrible thing, and these people are monsters
The most difficult part about this, besides it being a crime against humanity, is that the governments don't do anything about it. Many times the authorities in these countries (incl. the US) know about it and some get paid off for not turning these monsters in. So its how and where we can begin to get this to stop.
child trafficking is the greatest wrong against the child and humanity. trafficked children are forced into cultures, languages that they have little or no idea about. millions die en route. every government should fight it with the last stregth.
Human tafficking is curse to humanity and should be treated as a serious crimina.
keep alerting your readers on this issue
I LIKE YOUR ARTICLE THOUGH
Hi my name is Asonnah and I just can't imagine if someone would do that to their child.If I had children I would never sell my daughter or son for money.
xoxo,
ANGEL FACE
hi my name is xianni santiago and my school needs a speaker. to talk about slavery today. we are pretty broke but we are doing fundraisers as well. if you can find anyone for us please contact me at latin_tink210@hotmail.com it would be very appreciated.
this is something that highschool in my school are trying to make people more knowlidgable on.
This is SICK!!! I'm going to India this year for a visit and if I see any children who look like their being abused in any way I WILL do something about it! weather it be talking to them and walking with them to the police station, or kicking those men in the BALLS! they can lock me up and do what they want to me but WTF is with raping innocent children! These people NEED to be stopped and obviously their laws Don't care about the needs of children in their society! IT'S UP TO US! WE NEED TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD!
I sawa a program called panorama on BBC. I was aghast and felt pain. It is so frustrating that these down grading activities take place in India after all these years of development and educating people. I also felt concern that, outsiders are using information on india's problems for their own awakening and benefits, I appreciate and welcome te change that MR. Bhuvan wishes to bring in India , and especially for children. But is it possible to attain the goal in such a sinle way? Is it not the concern of everyone , indian to voice out their disgust for such malpractices? parents should also be punished if they are so ruthless and carefree for their children's life and living. This is the time to raise the curtain and reveal all that is concealed for so so soooo... long.