Child trafficking remains a prevalent issue both in the U.S and globally. Even though the rates have declined, it is still in existence. Child trafficking is any activity that entails the use of coercion or fraud to obtain cheap or free labor, organ trafficking, commercial sex, and other forms of human exploitation. Children are more subject to trafficking compared to adults because they depend on their guardians for protection. Furthermore, they are not aware of their human rights. In the U.S, trafficking cases occur within the national boundaries, and a few instances extend to international levels. According to reports issued by the U.S department of state 2019 trafficking in persons, 77% of trafficking victims remain in the country. Thus, this paper contains a discussion of the significant contributors to child trafficking in the U.S.
According to statistics, children from poor and low-income households are more vulnerable to child trafficking ( Scarpa, 2006). As children from low households grow up, they begin to understand their families' finances. Thus, most of them develop the desire to bring in more income to their families while circumstances force others to work at a tender age. Notably, the majority of the native Americans are low-income earners. Consequently, many minors from these communities have been reported as victims of child trafficking. They are enticed with a promise of high wages. Some give in to the promises while others are coerced. However, some parents decide to send their children into child labor to earn extra income and desire better lives.
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The desire for a better life is a tactic used by traffickers against their victims. The traffickers take advantage of parents' vulnerability to give out their children in return for a better future. Living in poverty is a harsh reality for most families. Thus, when traffickers pose as well-wishers, both children and parents fall into the trap of fraudulent employment or education schemes ( Scarpa, 2006). The children are then forced into commercial sex acts and manual labor. Notably, the trafficking of children for sex and cheap labor is a very profitable business. According to the U.S government, traffickers may make approximately 9.5 million dollars per year. Consequently, the number of traffickers in each state is relatively high. Additionally, most often, these children from impoverished backgrounds do not get access to education, contributing to trafficking.
Children living in low households do not get access to quality education. School comes along with other requirements such as school fees. Therefore, families who can hardly make ends meet cannot afford the required fees for their children to be in schools ( Scarpa, 2006). For instance, Haitians living in the U.S as refugees come from impoverished backgrounds. Therefore, education comes at the bottom of their priority list. These children do not have the most basic knowledge about human rights leave alone child trafficking. Thus, their vulnerability is increased to potential traffickers. Different scholars claim that education is a powerful tool to fight against child trafficking. Therefore, many states in the U.S, such as Ohio, California, and Kentucky, are enabling programs to ensure every child in the community gets access to quality education. Consequently, domestic violence also contributes to child trafficking.
Domestic violence becomes a push factor that subjects children to trafficking. Many children who experience domestic violence directly or indirectly often end up in runaway cases. To break free of the violence at home, the children run away from home to search for new beginnings. While they are away from home, they encounter sexual assaults, while others offer sexual favors to cater to their basic needs. Therefore, the runaways are viewed as an easy target by the perpetrators (Finklea et al., 2015). It is because they cannot go back to their abusive homes even though they have minimal survival resources. Further, racial discrimination is rampant in the U.S. which subject children from specific ethnicity to trafficking.
The U.S Department of justice stipulates that approximately 50% of trafficked children belong to the category of native Americans. Racial discrimination has been an issue that has made headlines in the U.S since time immemorial. Thus, racial discrimination lays the ground for child trafficking. In that, human rights for specific racial groups are disregarded. Without the protection of human rights, children are forced into commercial sex and labor. Furthermore, child trafficking is very racially inclusive, and so traffickers target specific ethnicities. The idea of racialized sexual slavery was manifested during the slavery area. Even in the modern U.S., Native American children have been stereotyped as sexually aggressive, defiant, and lacking moral values. However, under federal law, any child under the age of eighteen coerced to perform a commercial sex act is a form of child trafficking (Chisolm-Straker & Stoklosa, 2017). Notably, coercion into commercial sex acts is widespread in specific ethnic groups.
In summary, child trafficking is evident in all fifty states in the U.S. The trafficking does not necessarily occur within international borders but rather within the country. However, there are specific populations in the community that are more vulnerable. These populations are children from poor and low-income families, lack access to education, children from domestic violence families, and specific ethnic groups. Child trafficking has long-term effects on the victims. These children end up with psychological problems. Thus, to curb child trafficking, attending to the vulnerability of the victims is a key issue. Also, the government needs to implement more stringent measures and programs that will see an end to the end of child trafficking.
References
Butler, C. N. (2015). The racial roots of human trafficking. UCLA L. Rev. , 62 , 1464.
Chisolm-Straker, M., & Stoklosa, H. (Eds.). (2017). Human Trafficking Is a Public Health Issue. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-47824-1
Finklea, K. M., Fernandes-Alcantara , A. L., & Siskin, A. (2015). Sex trafficking of children in the United States: Overview and issues for Congress.
Scarpa, S. (2006). Child trafficking: International instruments to protect the most vulnerable victims. Family Court Review , 44 (3), 429-447.
