Information Effect Project

Child trafficking is a serious issue going on in the world today. This issue is a form of

human trafficking where children are recruited or kidnapped and put into a system where they

are forced into the unimaginable. From sexual abuse to hard labor, it is something a child should

never experience. For this project, it will discuss child trafficking, specifically child trafficking in

the United States, and questions many may have about this issue.

What Types of Child Trafficking Can Be Found in the United States?

To relate to human trafficking as a whole in the United States, it has been reported in all

fifty states, along with Washington D.C. and the United States territories (OESE Staff). Based on

all the reports, officials have noticed that these several cases from various states can include of

children being forced into commercial sex, stripping, pornography, forced begging, magazine

crews, au pairs (nannies), restaurant work, hair and nail salons, agricultural work, and even drug

sales and cultivation. Child trafficking isn’t all about taking sexual advantage of children, but it

can also be labor work. These children go through the indescribable, which makes child

trafficking is a form of modern slavery.

What Are the Causes of Child Labor?

Child labor is the practice of children being put into dangerous types of work for little or

no pay. Current causes of global child labor are similar to its causes in the U.S. 100 years ago,

including poverty, limited access to education, repression of workers’ rights, and limited

prohibitions on child labor. When a family is living in poverty, they put the child to work in

order to obtain the necessities of living. With limited access to education, work was the

alternative. There has also been a repression of workers’ rights present. Workers’ abilities to

organize unions affect the international protection of core labor standards, including child labor.

Attacks on workers’ abilities to organize make it more difficult to improve labor standards and

living standards in order to eliminate child labor. Some examples of places violating child labor

laws are in Nepal, the minimum age of 14 for most work, but plantations and brick kilns are

exempt. In Kenya, they prohibit children under 16 from industrial work, but they exclude

agriculture. Lastly, in Bangladesh, they specify a minimum age for work, but set no regulations

on domestic work or agricultural work (The University of Iowa Labor Center). Everywhere

around the world are child labor laws being violated. It definitely puts a negative impact on the

children that are in the child labor industry.

When Does the Work of Children Turn Into Child Labor?

There is a difference between child labor, and simply putting children to work. The

difference between ‘child labour’ and ‘child work’ is that child labour refers to work that is

harmful to children. It is work that is mentally or physically dangerous, work that interferes with

their ability to go to school which can affect their income-earning potential as adults (World

Vision Editors, 2015). For example, parents assigning their children various chores around the

house is harmless, and teaches children to work hard and have responsibility. Child labor on the

otherhand does not benefit the child, rather it brings danger and harm to him or her. It is

important to know the difference, and how to spot what is child labor, and what is not.

How Do You Identify A Victim of Child Trafficking?

 It can be fairly easy to identify a child who may be experiencing any form of

trafficking. They can show signs of drug addiction. They can look hungry, malnourished, and/or

deprived of sleep; they can even dress inappropriately. For example, a child can wear a thick

coat, pants, and a beanie during the summertime. Other signs can be that they exhibit bruises or

other signs of physical trauma, withdrawn behavior, depression, anxiety or fear. Some additional

signs for labor trafficking, specifically, can be that children express a need to pay off a debt.

Another sign can be that they work very long hours, and receive little or no pay. Additional,

specific signs for sex trafficking in children can be that they have a “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”

that obviously look older. Children can also demonstrate a sudden change in style, personal

hygiene, relationships, or material possessions. These signs can be pretty noticeable. It is

important to keep these signs in mind (OESE Staff).

What Are the Top States in the United States for Human Trafficking?

In general, human trafficking can happen anywhere. To focus more on the United

States, around 11,500 cases of human trafficking cases were reported in 2019, and of those cases,
there were 22,326 survivors. In the United States, the most common type of trafficking is sex

trafficking. As of 2019, the state with the highest rates of human trafficking is California. There,

1,507 cases were reported. Of those 1,507 cases, 1,118 were sex trafficking cases, 158 were

labor trafficking, and the last 69 cases were both sex and labor trafficking. Texas comes second

with 1,080 cases, followed by Florida with 896 cases, and New York in fourth, with 454 cases. It

makes sense why these states stand on top of most human trafficking cases. This is because these

states have a large concentration of people that reside there, along with high immigrant

populations (World Population Review Editors, 2021).

*This map is from 2016, but it is still relevant to how the states, with the highest

populations, have more reported human trafficking cases*

What is the Most Common Recruitment Method?

A child can be trafficked from pretty much anywhere. It can take place on the

streets. Children can also be taken while they are walking to a friend’s house or hanging out with
a group of friends. They can even be put into trafficking from their own homes. Different

recruitment methods are used when luring a child into the trafficking system. Manipulation is a

big one. Many traffickers use what is called the bait and switch technique. This involves the

trafficker presenting attractive opportunities as bait, in order to gain the attention and build trust

or hope in a victim. Traffickers then switch the situation for the economic gain of the trafficker.

Another common form of recruitment in children is by force. Traffickers use threats,

intimidation, and/or physical violence to force the child to work for them (Williamson and Prior,

2009).

Why Don’t Victims of Trafficking Try To Escape?

Many ‘outsiders’ always beg the questions to those who survived: Why did you not say

anything? Why didn’t you just run away? Child trafficking survivors are asked those questions,

along with others related. And although simply calling for help or running away can sound easy,

victims are going through various physical and mental abuses that can prevent them from

actually escaping. Elizabeth Smart, a survivor of child trafficking, could not escape because of

the several threats she got from her kidnappers; that they would harm her friends and family
members if she were to run away. So she endured through the pain so that she could keep her

loved ones safe. Another limitation of escaping can be that the trafficker will demand victims to

repay all debt, whether real or fake, before they can leave. Another reason is that victims can

oftentimes be trafficked, and sent to an unfamiliar place. Due to this, victims do not know how to

get around, because it is a place they have never been to, and the unfamiliar language can be a

barrier. These children are stripped of their identity, and believe that there is no hope in getting

help. Lastly, traffickers have a great skill in manipulating. They can convince victims to believe

that they love them. This emotional attachment can result in it being difficult to try and escape

(Salinas, 2018).

*This photo shows a kidnapped woman escaping by jumping out of a car trunk*

It is important to stay educated with the many social issues that go on in today’s world.

This is because education about a subject can bring more awareness to that subject. Without

people researching and learning about all the issues in the world, these issues will keep going,

and no one will have knowledge or ideas on how to help solve these issues.
 References

Sources

OESE Staff. (2013, December 03). Human trafficking of children in the united

States-A fact sheet for schools. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oshs/factsheet.html

Salinas, B. (2019, May 28). Why don't victims of trafficking just run away? Retrieved

March 14, 2021, from https://ourrescue.org/blog/dont-victims-trafficking-just-run-

away/

The University of Iowa Labor Center. (n.d.). Causes of Child Labor. Retrieved April, 2021,

from https://laborcenter.uiowa.edu/special-projects/child-labor-public-education-

project/about-child-labor/causes-child-labor

Williamson, C., & Prior, M. (2009). Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: A Network of

Underground Players in the Midwest. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma,

2(1), 46–61. https://doi-org.libprox1.slcc.edu/10.1080/19361520802702191

World Population Review Editors. (2021). Human trafficking statistics by State 2021.
 Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-

rankings/human-trafficking-statistics-by-state

World Vision Editors. (2015). How does child labour affect children? Retrieved April,

2021, from https://www.worldvision.com.au/docs/default-source/school-

resources/how-does-child-labour-affect-children---india-case-study-worksheet.pdf?

sfvrsn=2

Photos

16 Statistics About Human Trafficking In The United States - Insider Monkey

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-consumers-can-put-an-end-to-child-

labor-2017-11-17

https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2017/article/history-of-child-labor-in-the-united-

states-part-2-the-reform-movement.htm

You don't have to look far to find human trafficking victims (theconversation.com)

National Human Trafficking Hotline - Map

He threatened to kill my girl - Father of kidnapped Takoradi girl :GHANA NEWS

(hiplifehiphop.com)

Video Shows Kidnapped Woman Escape by Jumping Out of Car Trunk | All Black

Media