Child trafficking is just like human trafficking but of minors. It is defined as "the recruitment, transfer, harboring, and purchase of a child". Children can be abducted from their homes or picked up from the streets (this happens in the case of run aways). They are then taken to their owners by the workers, often referred to as "pimps" when involving sex. The pimps will then take them to the place where they have been purchased. Sometimes the child will only spend a night with the person who bought them or they will be bought for life.
trafficking in usa
Even though it is highly believed in foreign countries, the U.S. is one of the top countries of trafficking. Cases of trafficking have been reported in all 50 states in the country and almost everyone was promised something like money or wealth by their pimp but then sold as a slave. Approximately 245,000 children have been involved in child trafficking in America this year. According to the Department of State in 2011, America is the number one country for trafficking for all people. 1.2 million children are trafficked all of the world each year. A large number of illegal immigrants who enter the U.S. are often victims of trafficking, being sex or labor.
what the children do
Seeing what the children who are trafficked is defiantly disturbing. Here are some examples of what the children are forced to encounter. 1. Some children, mainly girls, are forced into marriage. They can either be sold by their pimp into this marriage and the pimp will make a profit, or the people who buy the girls will claim them for themselves. The girls who are sold are often raped and beaten by their "husband". Sometimes the husband will have multiple wives at the same time.
2. Forced sexual orientation is common in the child trafficking world. It is when a child is forced into sex and it is filmed and sold on the internet. Men (and women) will sometimes watch this and keep a copy of it, which is highly illegal. Anyone caught with child pornography will face prison time. It is very hard to delete this footage with the technical advantages in the U.S. so new websites and footage is almost impossible to fully delete.
3. Children who are abducted are often transported to a new area. Whether it is in the U.S. to a foreign country or vice versa. The abductors want the kids as far away from home as possible to increase the chance of them never being found. Sometimes the children will be drugged in order to transport or beaten to keep them quite. For more information on what the children have to encounter, there are many articles online.
how to stop it
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to stop trafficking because it is a nation wide issue. One thing to remember is to simply be aware of your surroundings and be very careful on who you talk to. If you have any information on trafficking or need help dial this number: 1 (888) 373-7888. I think this topic is very sensitive and everything we as a nation should do are doing, but we need another solution. Yes, it is hard to stop this and it may almost be impossible, but any information or people working for these pimps coming forward can save many children's lives.
here are some links to stories or how to help end child trafficking
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/summit/articles/area-residents-arrested-in-massive-child-traffick - this article is about pimps being arrested
https://www.unicefusa.org/mission/protect/trafficking -this is UNISEF website
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-disturbing-reality-of-human-trafficking-and-children_us_58b1d696e4b0658fc20f95fa -This is about what children encounter