It isn’t good enough to assume you and your family will never have to deal with human trafficking. With the rise of trafficking in this and other countries, it’s about to become the most prevalent plague on humanity – even more so that drug abuse.
Worse, it happens in every state in the union. No one is exempt. And, if it happens in your community, maybe you could have done something to prevent it. Education and awareness are the two best ways to prevent it from happening to a loved one.
Just read these statistics compiled (some years ago) by Ark of Hope for Children. Unfortunately, the problem has become larger since these facts were compiled.
The numbers:
In 2012, the (UNODC) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports the percentage of child victims had risen in a 3-year span from 20 percent to 27 percent. Of every three child victims, two are girls and one is a boy.
- Gender and age profile of victims detected globally: 59% Women – 14% Men – 17% Girls and 10% were Boys.
- 600,000 to 800,000 women, children and men bought and sold across international borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercial sex (U.S. Government)
- When internal trafficking victims are added to the estimates, the number of victims annually is in the range of 2 to 4 million
- 50% of those victims are estimated to be children
- It is estimated that 76 percent of transactions for sex with underage girls start on the Internet
- 2 million children are subjected to prostitution in the global commercial sex trade (UNICEF)
- There are 20.9 Million victims of Trafficking
World wide as of 2012 - 1.5 Million victims in the United States
The impact:
- Human trafficking has surpassed the illegal sale of arms
- Trafficking will surpass the illegal sale of drugs in the next few years
- Drugs are used once and they are gone. Victims of child trafficking can be used and abused over and over
- A $32 billion-a-year industry, human trafficking is on the rise and is in all 50 states (U.S. Government)
- 4.5 Million of trafficked persons are sexually exploited
- Up to 300,000 Americans under 18 are lured into the commercial sex trade every year
- From 14,500 – 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the United States each year
According to non-governmental U.S. sources:
- Average victims age is 11 to 14
- Approx 80% are women and children bought, sold and imprisoned in the underground sex service industry
- Average life span of a victim is reported to be 7 years (found dead from attack, abuse, HIV and other STD’s, malnutrition, overdose or suicide)
The largest group of at-risk children are runaway, thrown away, or homeless American children who use survival sex to acquire food, shelter, clothing, and other things needed to survive on America’s streets. According to the National Runaway Switchboard 1.3 million runaway and homeless youth live on America’s streets every day. [5,000 die each year] It would not be surprising to learn that the number of children trafficked in the United States is actually much higher than 300,000.
Children are often targeted by traffickers as they are deemed easier to manipulate than adults. More money can be earned by younger girls and boys exploited in sexual exploitation, especially virgins. Pre-pubescent girls are reported to be injected with hormones to bring on puberty. Younger girls are expected to have a greater earning potential, and as such are in greater demand.
Physical and Mental Consequences of Trafficking for victims:
- Child victims of human trafficking face significant problems. Often physically and sexually abused, they have distinctive medical and psychological needs that must be addressed before advancing in the formative years of adulthood.
- Child victims of exploitation can face a number of long-term health problems:
- Sleeping and eating disorders
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- HIV/AIDS, pelvic pain, rectal trauma and urinary difficulties from working in the sex industry
- Drug addiction
- Chronic back, hearing, cardiovascular or respiratory problems from endless days toiling in dangerous agriculture, sweatshop or construction conditions
- Fear and anxiety
- Depression, mood changes
- Guilt and shame
- Cultural shock from finding themselves in a strange country
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Traumatic bonding with the trafficker
What you can do – now:
If those facts make your head spin, now is the time to do something. For starters, check these articles here on our blog:
Where these statistics were obtained:
2012 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME Global Report – Vienna
U.S. Trafficking In Persons Report – June 2012
Trafficking Victims Protection Act
U.S. Trafficking In Persons Report – June 2011
Child Trafficking Update – October 2011
FBI on Human Sex Trafficking – March 2011
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, Hanoi
Child Victims of Human Trafficking Report– Dept Health & Human Services
Crimes Against Children Report- Interpol – September 2009
Trafficking in Human Beings Report- Interpol – December 2009
