Child Trafficking

Child trafficking is the process by which children are forcibly taken or coerced into working
and other unfavorable conditions. This is a huge problem in the United States and in the
world. Many people believe that child trafficking happens only in other countries, including
many Asian nations and in Central and South America. However, there is a large number of
child trafficking cases that take place in the United States every year. Human trafficking and
especially child trafficking is devastatingly destructive to a child and their development and
future opportunities.
Child trafficking does not only happen in one particular area or to one specific population.
Child trafficking can truly happen anywhere and to any child. Some populations or
personality types are more prone to be targeted for child trafficking, such as low-income
children who have low self-esteem and broken households. These children are looking for
someone to pay attention to them and show them affection. Therefore, these children are
often targeted by child traffickers who can catch the attention of the child and gain the
childs trust easily. However, child trafficking does occur in all parts of the world and really
comes in a variety of different styles. Some children are trafficked to work in illegal sex
trades. These children may be made to work on the streets or in brothels in some cities.
Children are also targeted for child trafficking and work in sweatshops and other
manufacturing jobs. These children are often made to live in extremely poor and unhealthy
conditions and are not paid for their work. Instead, they are made to feel indebted to their
captors and are made to feel inadequate and incapable of doing anything right. They are
brainwashed into believing that they have done something to deserve their life and that
their captors are in fact doing them a favor by letting them work.
Child trafficking is a huge problem in the world and in the United States. The United States
has recently enacted laws and regulations to strengthen the penalties for perpetrators of
child trafficking. Children are innocent beings and are not able to provide consent for such
activities, even if they have been brainwashed into thinking that what they are doing is right
and okay. It is important that governments, non-profits and law enforcement agencies
continue to work to end child trafficking and to punish those people who are found to be
hurting children.

Human trafficking is just another name for modern-day slavery, wherein the victims
involved are forced, coerced and deceived into labour and sexual exploitation.
The figures are scary. Almost 6, 00,000 to 8, 00,000 women and children are annually
trafficked across national borders. This does not account for the numbers that are trafficked
within their own countries.
Most human trafficking victims are actually duped into the trade by the false promises made
regarding job opportunities. Many women from third world countries are lured into this trade
with the bait of false marriages. Many of the victims are forced either directly with violence
or indirectly with psychological blackmail into the trade.
Once they enter the countries of trade their passports are confiscated and with no money,
no shelter, and no one to turn to they are left at the mercy of those who trade in human
flesh.
Human trafficking is a multi-faceted threat. It robs people of their right of freedom. It is
inhuman .The victims end devastated, demoralized and defeated. Those that suffer physical
and emotional abuse and rape may never be able to live normal lives again. Those that are
threatened live in constant fear and end being psychologically compromised.
The impact of human trafficking is chilling; and although, the brunt of it is faced by the
victims, the nation suffers as a whole. Safety and security, the privileges of living in a free
country are compromised.
India shows alarming rates of human trafficking. With an estimated 400 million children
between 0 and 18 years, the countrys per capita income remaining low and 26 percent of
the population living below the poverty line.
India has become a source, destination and transit country for men, woman, and children
trafficked for forced labour and commercial sexual exploitation. India has become a transit
hub for human trafficking with estimated millions, victim to human trafficking.

Trafficking in India is often disguised as migration, commercial sex or disgustingly even

marriage. It is estimated that ninety percent of the Indias sex trafficking is internal. Women
and girls are trafficked internally for commercial sex.
Children are subject to involuntary servitude as factory workers, domestic servants,
beggars, agricultural workers and many times they are also sexually abused by their
owners. No crime can be worse than this.
The child is mentally handicapped for the rest of his or her life. Hand embroidery factories
mostly employ boys below the age of twelve.
The most beautiful carpets and hand embroidered designer gowns are often works of art
created by victims of human trafficking. Girls are also trafficked from the neighboring
countries like Bangladesh, and Nepal into India.
Many help lines like Child line have been set up to reach out especially to the street
children, child labourers, and abused children.
Centres like Aakanksha help in rehabilitating the victims. Don Bosco National Forum has
launched a website which is closely monitored by child welfare organizations in all cities of
the country and a search for the child is started immediately after a complaint is registered.
The governments of some cities in India like Maharashstra have banned dance bars.
However so much more needs to be done, yet. The problems must be tackled at grass
roots. Also change must start with the people for the people.
The people must become the eyes and the arms of the government and make this crusade
their own cause. Then and only then will we see an end to human trafficking.