- Bay Leaves are extremely useful in divination, clairvoyance, and inducing visions. They are useful in other metaphysical skills too; protection from psychic attacks, boosting general magic, and aiding psychic development. Bay leaves are used in clairvoyance and wisdom brews. Leaves placed under the pillow or used in dream work will bring prophetic dreams.
- Bay Laurel is associated with Apollo. When the nymph Daphne tried to avoid him she turned into the first laurel tree, which Apollo adopted as his sacred tree. The leaves were also chewed and burned by Apollo’s prophetic priestesses at Delphi, which ties in to its uses in divination.
- Bay is used for its properties of purification and protection. It is used in consecrating things, dispelling negative entities and energies, spell breaking, and protection against negative magic. When placed in the corners of a home it will protect all who dwell there, and it can be burned to achieve the same effect.
- Bay is excellent when put to use in wish magic or other things regarding bringing about ambitions and goals. Write a wish on a bay leaf and burn it to achieve your goal, use them in spells and charms to bring prosperity, luck, success, and abundance, and use bay to bring about healing and transformation.
- Bay can also be used for: love, passion, harmony, inspiration, wisdom, justice, memory, release, strength, fertility, victory, and employment.
Medicinal Properties
- Bay oil can be used to treat arthritic pains, lower back pain, earaches, sore muscles, and sprains.
- The leaves can be used in cooking, taken in tea, used in herbal baths, and infused in oil.
- WARNING: the oil should never be used by women who are pregnant, should never be taken internally, and you must dilute the oil and use it in small amounts when applied to the skin.
Globally, how many children are involved in commercial sexual exploitation (prostitution)? How does the prostitution industry impact children?
Southeast Asia:
(Philippines) The Philippines serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 children are involved in prostitution. The victims are predominantly impoverished girls between 14 and 17 years of age. Child prostitution is especially prevalent in tourist areas. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the Philippines , A Survey of Child Sex Tourism in the Philippines)
(Thailand) Thailand serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. In 2007, it was estimated that there were as many as 60,000 children involved in prostitution. The Children’s Rights Protection Center estimates that 40% of those involved in prostitution are below 18 years of age. There are significant concerns about the lack of laws surrounding child pornography. Under Thai law, there is no definition of child pornography, and there is no prohibition and punishment for those who disseminate, offer, or possess child pornography. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Thailand , ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Thailand)
(Malaysia) Malaysia serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. At least 51 trafficked Cambodian girls and women were rescued from brothels in Malaysia from 2005 to 2007. Following a joint operation between Indonesian and Malaysian police, a Malaysian businessman and three Indonesians were arrested for trafficking 25 teenage girls aged 14 to 17 from Jakarta to Malaysia using false travel documents. The girls had been promised jobs as domestic workers, but were instead forced into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Malaysia)
(Cambodia) Cambodia serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Low travel costs, cheap prostitution, and poverty make Cambodia a key destination for child sex tourism. Child prostitution rings are especially prevalent in tourist areas. (ECPAT Country Overview - Cambodia)
(Indonesia) Indonesia serves as a country of origin and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that at least 100,000 children and women are trafficked in Indonesia every year. It is also estimated that 30% of female prostitutes are below the age of 18, and 40,000 to 70,000 Indonesian children are victims of some form of sexual exploitation. According to the National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), based on data derived from 23 provinces, more than 2,000 child trafficking cases were recorded in Indonesia in 2007. The Directorate General of Tourist Destination Development of the Ministry for Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia states that from 1972 to 2008, they recorded more than 13,703 child victims of sexual exploitation in tourist destinations in six provinces. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Indonesia)
(Vietnam) Vietnam serves as a country of origin and destination for child sex trafficking. In the 1990s, it was estimated that 10.5% of those involved in prostitution were children. By 2003, the percentage increased to 15%. In 2007, it was reported that border guards discovered 32 cases of child prostitution and rescued about 100 victims. Child sex tourism is currently on the rise, and several child sex tourists have been arrested for the possession of child pornography. One foreign man, arrested in 2006 for sexually abusing Vietnamese girls, had videos of himself molesting children. Another foreign man, arrested in 2003 for raping Vietnamese and Cambodian girls aged between 12 and 18, was also in possession of child pornography. A third foreign man was arrested in 2005 for sex crimes against children aged 7 to 15 in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, and he was also found with child pornography. Evidence shows that videos depicting child sexual abuse are widely available in Vietnam and can be easily accessed online. (ECPAT Vietnam Report , ECPAT Country Overview - Vietnam)
(Singapore) Singapore serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. Between 2004 and 2007, 111 cases of sex trafficking of women and girls were investigated. In one case study, three Malaysians were arrested in Singapore after they were caught trying to traffic three Sri Lankan children, aged 11, 14, and 15, to London via Paris. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Singapore)
East Asia:
(Japan) Japan serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. The Women’s Consulting Office reported 12 cases of child trafficking (the victims were girls trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation) in 2006 and 2007. In July 2005, authorities investigated 21 girls in their late teens to early twenties who were trafficked into Japan for sexual exploitation. The police identified 117 victims of human trafficking in 2005, 58 victims in 2006, and 43 victims in 2007. In the first half of 2008, there were 830 arrests for child prostitution and child pornography. Child pornography is considered a significant problem within the country. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Japan)
(Taiwan) Taiwan serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. Victims of child trafficking in Taiwan are mainly from China. An ECPAT Taiwan survey that involved 62 girls trafficked from China for commercial sexual exploitation found that more than 60% had to give all their earnings to their bosses. In 2007, Taiwan authorities prosecuted 423 individuals for human trafficking, resulting in 74 convictions - including 16 convictions for the sexual exploitation of minors. As Taiwan’s economy has grown over the past decade, child sex tourism has become a significant problem. The Taiwanese military launched a probe into the case of a navy lieutenant who was caught hiring a girl working as a prostitute in Kaohsiung. The military found that 23 soldiers and officers had been in contact with the girl and two other children working in prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Taiwan)
(Hong Kong) Hong Kong serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Hong Kong is believed to be the second biggest market, after India, for Nepali women and girls being trafficked outside the country. An article in the American Chronicle stated that among girls trafficked to Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, and other Southeast Asian countries, around 6,000 were Nepalese. In one case study, a 16-year-old Filipina who worked as a hawker in the province of Bulacan to support her family was lured into Hong Kong by a Chinese recruiter who promised her a job as a domestic helper. When she went to see the recruiter at his house in Caloocan City, she met two other young women who were also promised jobs in Hong Kong. A few hours after her arrival, she was forced to be raped by six men. The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation believed that the male recruiter might be a member of a Manila-based syndicate with contacts in Hong Kong. In a similar case study, six Filipina victims were promised jobs as entertainers in clubs in Hong Kong, but they were forced into prostitution upon their arrival in Hong Kong. In yet another case study, a Hong Kong triad trafficked girls as young as 13 across the border from China for commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Hong Kong)
(Mongolia) A number of studies and reports clearly demonstrate that child prostitution is widespread throughout Mongolia. It is reported that in Ulaanbaatar alone, there are about 10 prostitution facilities that exploit young women and girls (about 30-40 young women and girls in each establishment). The number of child prostitution rings is increasing in other large urban areas, such as Darkhan, Erdenet, Selenge Aimag, Dornod Aimaga, and Zamiin-Uud. Many impoverished girls living on the streets of these urban areas are involved in prostitution. The number of registered cases of child prostitution rose from 48 in 1998 to 130 in 2002. Police registered 93 cases of child prostitution in 2006, 156 cases in 2006, and 127 cases in the first nine months of 2007. In addition, according to the Criminal Police Department, the number of minors held administratively liable for prostitution reached 380 in 2005, 402 in 2006, and 426 in 2007. (ECPAT Report on Mongolia)
(South Korea) South Korea serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The sexual exploitation of children in tourism is a considerable problem, as South Koreans are one of the main sources of demand for child sex tourism in Asia. In 2017, the Seoul government discovered that an increasing number of runaway children (children who have run away from home) are entering the commercial sex trade as a means of survival. According to a survey of 198 runaway respondents, 48.6% had entered the commercial sex trade in order to earn money. (ECPAT Country Overview - South Korea)
South Asia:
(India) India serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The trafficking of children for commercial sexual exploitation is common. Though the exact numbers are not known, it is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into India for commercial sexual exploitation every year. Most trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, however, happens domestically. Children are trafficked to and from states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal. Kolkata (capital city of West Bengal) has emerged as a hub for the sex trafficking of girls. From Kolkata, the girls are often sold to brothels in Mumbai. Research suggests that a significant number of girls rescued from commercial sexual exploitation are re-trafficked, exposing serious flaws in existing programs supporting the rescue, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims. Non-acceptance by families and communities of girls who return home, lack of alternative sources of income or livelihood options, and the increasing demand for young girls from brothel owners contribute to the re-trafficking of victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in India)
(Bangladesh) Bangladesh serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A UNICEF report stated that approximately 400 women and children are trafficked each month. Many children are trafficked with their parents’ consent, having been lured by promises of well-paying jobs or marriages. Women and children are trafficked to other South Asian countries, such as India and Pakistan, as well as domestically to be forced to work in brothels. Orphans, children of prostitutes, and other ostracized groups of children are especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation. A UNICEF survey found that the average age at which surveyed children first became involved in commercial sexual exploitation was 13 years old. Child pornography is a major problem, with one study showing that 80% of children exploited in prostitution are also exploited for the production of pornography. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Bangladesh , ECPAT Report on Bangladesh)
(Pakistan) Pakistan serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. There is extensive trafficking of children from Bangladesh and other South Asian countries to destinations within Pakistan, predominantly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. India and Pakistan are the main destinations in South Asia for trafficked children under 16. Underground sexual exploitation of children is reported to be widespread. Existing child protection and rehabilitation services are highly inadequate. There is a dire need for the government to establish services to address the issue of the commercial sexual exploitation of children in a meaningful way. There is no mandated system for reporting child sexual exploitation, abuse, and neglect, leading to a paucity of reliable statistics and published data on the prevalence of the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Laws that criminalize prostitution make no distinction between adults and children. This means that children trafficked and forced into prostitution are treated as adults in the legal system and face punishment rather than support or protection if convicted. Pakistan’s legal system also places the burden of guilt on those selling sex or the sexually exploited/abused rather than on those paying for sex or those who force or persuade children into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Pakistan)
(Nepal) Despite the lack of official statistics, there is strong evidence that Nepal continues to have a major child prostitution problem. According to a 2010 report by Terre des hommes (Trafficking and Exploitation in the Entertainment and Sex Industries in Nepal), diverse sources report that in the Kathmandu Valley alone, there are 11,000 to 13,000 girls and young women working in the so-called ‘night entertainment industry’. According to findings by ActionAid Nepal, about 37% of these girls and young women provide sexual services for customers, while other sources report figures as high as 46%. Most of the girls and women come from poor farming families and are poorly educated. Over the years, several studies have been conducted to assess the magnitude of the prostitution of women and children in Nepal. These studies indicate that between 16% and 33% of females involved in commercial sexual exploitation are below 18 years of age. (ECPAT Report on Nepal , ECPAT Country Overview - Nepal)
Europe:
(Greece) Greece serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 women and children are trafficked into Greece each year for commercial sexual exploitation. However, official statistics quoted by Amnesty International show that only about 100 to 200 women and children are identified each year as victims of trafficking. Sex trafficking and forced prostitution in Greece has increased tenfold in the last decade, but only recently has the Government started to offer assistance and protection to victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Greece)
(Romania) Romania serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The Romanian police reported 2,285 trafficking victims in 2006 and 2,072 victims in 2007, with approximately 14% being children. The Public Ministry in Romania recorded less trafficking victims in the same period, but proportionally more children, with nearly one in four victims identified as minors. During the first six months of 2008, 109 minors were identified as victims of trafficking. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Romania)
(Albania) There are limited official resources and statistics on the scale of the issue of child sexual exploitation in Albania, but data collected by the Albanian Rehabilitation Center for Trauma and Torture analyzing police figures from between 2016 and 2018 shows that 12 children were reported as victims of exploitation in prostitution. Organized crime groups are known to traffic Albanian girls both internationally and domestically for commercial sexual exploitation. A 2017 BBC News report on human trafficking in Albania told the story of a 14-year-old girl who was forced into prostitution after fleeing her home. She was raped by several men per day. Similarly, in a 2016 interview, an 18-year-old girl explained how she had been exploited in prostitution since the age of 14 after fleeing her home, and told of more girls who were working in the streets, some of whom were as young as 13 years old. (ECPAT Country Overview - Albania)
(Germany) Germany serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Large cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Mannheim) are the main destinations for trafficked children. It is believed that Germany’s prostitution industry made approximately 7.5 billion US dollars in 2003 alone, thus making Germany a key destination for sex trafficking. In 2007, the German Government identified 689 victims of sex trafficking, 81 of whom were children. In one case study, a German citizen was arrested at the Romanian border while attempting to traffic and force into prostitution three girls between the ages of 14 and 22. In another case study, a 17-year-old girl was offered a job as a caretaker for an elderly woman in Berlin. A polish man drove her to Berlin where he took away her passport and forced her into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Germany)
(Czechia / Czech Republic) More than half of the identified victims of sex trafficking in Czechia are children, and police records from recent years show an increase in the reported cases of children involved in prostitution. 23 cases of sexual exploitation of children in prostitution were reported in 2016, and 15 cases were reported in 2015, but only 12 cases were officially investigated between 2010 and 2016. Czechia has been identified as a major source of child pornography, hosting the second largest number of URLs distributing child pornography in the EU. In 2015 and 2016, 123 cases of child pornography were detected, but only 19 of these cases were investigated. In 2014, an international network of child pornographers was traced to Červený Kostelec, a small town in Czechia. Reports estimated that 65 to 100 children between the ages of 7 and 18 were sexually exploited under the guise of shooting advertisements for foreign magazines. The material was sold online and to private clients abroad via a network spanning over 13 countries. (ECPAT Country Overview - Czechia)
(Austria) Austria serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. There were 118 suspected cases of child sex trafficking from 2009 to 2011. ECPAT Austria estimates that approximately 4,500 Austrians contribute to the global demand for child sex tourism in destinations known for the availability of child prostitutes, such as Thailand and the Philippines. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Austria , ECPAT Executive Summary - Austria)
(Poland) Poland serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Of the 198 cases of human trafficking prosecuted in 2000, 22 involved children. Of the 686 victims of human trafficking identified by Polish authorities between 2003 and 2007, 48 were children. A criminal ring that trafficked 20 young girls from Ukraine to Poland was uncovered in the Volyn region of Ukraine in May 2004. The girls had been promised well paying jobs abroad, but they were forced into prostitution upon arriving in Poland. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Poland)
(Switzerland) Switzerland serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. The Federal Police Office estimated that there were 1,500 to 3,000 victims of sex trafficking in 2002. Cases of child trafficking are scarcely reported to the authorities. Between 1997 and 2000, only three victims of child sex trafficking were identified by the police, and there is no data available for the following years. However, it is estimated that the number of cases is much higher than what is actually reported. In 2005, the recognized victim advisory centers found that 17 of the 126 identified victims of forced prostitution and sex trafficking were children. In 2006, they identified 13 children out of a total of 90 victims. In 2007, they identified 7 children out of a total of 128 victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Switzerland)
(France) France serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. According to various NGOs, between 5,000 and 8,000 minors were involved in commercial sexual exploitation in France in 2002. In Paris, estimates vary between 150 to 500 minors involved in prostitution. According to the Central Office for the Repression of Human Trafficking (Office Central de la Repressionde la Traite des Etres Humains), 1,218 victims of soliciting prostitution were identified between 2003 and 2006, 27 of whom were girls under the age of 18. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in France)
(Spain) Spain serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. From 2002 to 2006, the National Spanish Police Force detected 2,749 cases of child trafficking, including at least 750 for sexual exploitation. In 2003, 323 cases of sexual exploitation were reported to the police, with almost all of them involving children from Romania. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Spain)
(Portugal) Portugal serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Children from Portugal are trafficked to Spain for commercial sexual exploitation. Many of the children trafficked to Portugal come from Brazil. Portugal is considered a major European destination for sex tourists. According to research by the European Coordination Office, 86% of Portuguese nationals interviewed believed that child sex tourism occurs in the country. Child pornography is also a big concern. In 1998, an 11-year-old boy vanished while walking home from school. Three years later, images of the boy being sexually abused were uncovered during an international police operation that cracked a global pedophile network. Hundreds of pedophiles in 13 countries had exchanged over 750,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of thousands of children through a private internet club called Wonderland. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Portugal)
(Belgium) Belgium serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. According to the Immigration Office, 160 victims of trafficking and smuggling were identified in 2006. 57 of the victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. In 2007, nine trafficked children were identified, two of whom had been sexually exploited in prostitution. From January to June 2008, eight more trafficked children were identified, two of whom had also been sexually exploited in prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Belgium)
(Netherlands) The Netherlands serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Research conducted by ECPAT Netherlands in 2005 identified 230 cases of child trafficking that occurred between 2003 and 2005, 169 of which were for commercial sexual exploitation. According to the Coordination Center for Human Trafficking (Comensha), the number of possible victims of trafficking has grown annually, with 403 in 2004, 424 in 2005, and 579 in 2006. A total of 101 child victims of trafficking were identified by Comensha in 2006. In 2007, 198 of the 716 trafficking victims reported to Comensha were children. In 2008, 169 of the 809 trafficking victims were children. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the Netherlands)
(United Kingdom) The UK serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. A Home Office study suggested that there may have been around 4,000 (child and adult) victims of sex trafficking in the UK in 2003. A report published by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center (government agency) identified at least 325 children in the UK as trafficked during the period from March 2007 to February 2008. ECPAT UK’s research in three regions of England identified 80 cases of known or suspected child trafficking. A recent CEOP report demonstrates that there is an ongoing demand for trafficked children for commercial sexual exploitation. A number of studies suggest that the increasing demand for child prostitutes is fueled by the availability of online child pornography. Police operations in the north of England have uncovered the online and offline grooming of British teenage girls that resulted in the girls being trafficked across the UK and pimped for commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the UK & Northern Ireland)
North America:
(United States) The US serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A relatively recent FBI operation arrested 131 people seeking child prostitution at major sporting events in several cities in California. The children involved were victims of trafficking brought through Oakland, a major trafficking hub in California, to other destinations where the demand for child prostitution is high. The youngest victim rescued was 11 years old. In June 2008, hundreds of people were arrested and 21 children were rescued in a five-day FBI operation focused on finding pimps who sexually exploited children. The arrests took place in 16 popular cities across the US. In 2019, The US Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a total of 220 human trafficking prosecutions, 208 of which involved sex trafficking. In 2018, the DOJ initiated 230 human trafficking prosecutions, 213 of which involved sex trafficking. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the USA , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - United States)
(Canada) Canada serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Data from Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system shows that the government reported a total of 340 trafficking incidents and 236 accused traffickers in 2018 and reported a total of 375 trafficking incidents and 291 accused traffickers in 2017. According to Statistics Canada (Government agency), 10-15% of people involved in street prostitution in Canada are under 18 years old. However, this figure is believed by most NGOs to be a gross underestimate of the problem. The Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada also reported that child sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children is a burgeoning national problem. Canada’s first human trafficking conviction took place in May 2008. The offender was Imani Nakpangi, a man who trafficked a 14-year-old girl and forced her into sexual slavery for a period of two and a half years. When the girl escaped at age 17, she went to the police and led them to a motel room where her trafficker kept another one of his victims (a 14-year-old girl). In Montreal, a man named Michael Lennox Mark pleaded guilty to trafficking a 17-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual exploitation and procuring three others (one of whom was under 18) to become prostitutes. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Canada , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Canada)
Central America:
(Mexico) Mexico serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A number of Mexican cities are also popular destinations for child sex tourism. Migrant Mexican children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. According to UNICEF, along the Mexico-US border, at least 16,000 children are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Although the trafficked children in Mexico are from all over the world, the vast majority of victims are from other countries in Central America. Additionally, a significant number of Mexican children are trafficked domestically for commercial sexual exploitation, often lured from poor rural districts to urban tourist areas through false offers of employment. Between 1994 and 2002, due to the armed conflict in Chiapas, around 40,000 indigenous people were internally displaced, many claiming to have been physically and sexually abused by military personnel. Statistics indicate that at least 3,000 young girls from Chiapas were trafficked to Mexico City, Cancun, Acapulco, Merida, and Tapachula for commercial sexual exploitation in brothels in popular sex tourism locations. In 2000, a group of approximately 400 girls from Honduras aged 10 to 16 were repatriated. The girls intended to travel to the United States, but were forced into prostitution due to not having enough money for travel. In July 2008, the leader of a family-based child trafficking network, Ms. Consuelo Carreto Flores, pleaded guilty to trafficking girls into the United States for sexual exploitation. The trafficked girls came from poor communities near the US border. The girls were forced to serve an average of 30 men per day, and the money paid by the men was split between the brothels and the Carreto family, leaving the victims with nothing. In May 2007, José Nemesio Lugo Felix, Technical Officer of the Inter-Institutional Commission to Prevent and Punish Trafficking in Persons, was shot and killed near his office. He was leading the investigation of 47 networks operating in Mexico that were involved in child pornography, child prostitution, and child sex trafficking. One of these networks was reported to operate between Mexico and 12 cities in the United States, with an annual income of $400,000 for each of the girls they exploited. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Mexico)
(Guatemala) Guatemala serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. 332 complaints of trafficking and trafficking-related offenses were made in 2019, 272 complaints were made in 2018, and 254 complaints were made in 2017. The Secretariat against Sexual Violence, Exploitation, and Trafficking in Persons (SVET) identified 678 trafficking victims (518 of whom were female) in 2019, 371 in 2018, 316 in 2017, 484 in 2016, and 673 in 2015. The commercial sexual exploitation of children is prevalent, with child sex tourism on the rise. The Special Rapporteur on child prostitution and child pornography found that child sex tourism is especially prominent in Antigua, Puerto Barrios, Río Dulce, Tecún Umán, and around Lake Atitlán. Child pornography is also a significant issue. Although the production and distribution of child pornography is illegal, it is easy to obtain child pornography on the streets. (ECPAT Guatemala UPR Report , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Guatemala)
(Honduras) Honduras serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Authorities initiated prosecutions of 55 suspected traffickers (including 37 for sex trafficking and 16 for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2019, 35 suspects (including six for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2018, 84 suspects (including 82 for sex trafficking) in 2017, and 41 suspects (all for sex trafficking) in 2016. The government convicted 34 traffickers (including 33 for sex trafficking/procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2019 and 16 traffickers (including six for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2018. The government identified 75 trafficking victims (including 66 for sexual exploitation) in 2019, 73 victims (including 63 for sexual exploitation) in 2018, and 150 victims (including 84 for sexual exploitation) in 2017. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Honduras)
(Panama) Panama serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Authorities in Panama initiated five trafficking investigations (including four for sexual exploitation) in 2019 and 32 trafficking investigations (including 25 for sexual exploitation) in 2018. The government prosecuted 10 suspected traffickers (including six for sexual exploitation) and identified 61 potential trafficking victims (including 33 for sex trafficking) in 2019. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Panama)
(Costa Rica) Costa Rica serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Additionally, Costa Rica is known to be a popular destination for child sex tourism. Costa Rican women and children are forced to resort to prostitution due to a number of reasons, including high rates of poverty and domestic violence. The Attorney General’s Office reported investigating a total of 69 trafficking cases (including 43 for sexual exploitation) in 2019. The government investigated and prosecuted individuals who paid for sexual services with child trafficking victims, resulting in four convictions in 2019, 22 convictions in 2018, and three convictions in 2017. The government also identified 35 trafficking victims (including 14 for sexual exploitation, two for both sexual exploitation and forced labor, four for both domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, and four for sexual servitude) in 2019. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Costa Rica)
South America:
(Brazil) A 2001 United Nations report estimated that 500,000 children are involved in prostitution in Brazil. The majority of victims of child sex trafficking are girls from situations of extreme poverty. In 2015, A 16-year-old girl from a low-income community in Rio was gang-raped, and graphic photos and videos of the incident were posted to Twitter, where several men joked about the attack. (Report on Domestic Sex Trafficking of Children in Brazil)
(Argentina) Argentina serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Since 2008, 3,465 women and girls have been rescued from human trafficking operations. 106 suspected traffickers (including 71 for sex trafficking, eight for both sexual and labor trafficking, and eight for forced marriage) were prosecuted in 2019. The Rescue Program (government office responsible for coordinating emergency victim services) reported assisting 1,438 victims of trafficking in 2019, 1,501 victims in 2018, and 1,107 victims in 2017. (Article by Johanna Higgs , 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report - Argentina)
(Chile) In 2003, the Government of Chile estimated that there were approximately 3,700 children involved in some form of commercial sexual exploitation. Anti-trafficking police units opened 92 investigations (including 62 for sex trafficking) in 2019, 39 cases (including 23 for sex trafficking) in 2018, and 21 cases (including 13 for sex trafficking) in 2017. In 2017, the National Minors’ Service (SENAME) identified 415 victims of child sex trafficking. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Chile , Report on Human Trafficking in Chile)
(Peru) Peru serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. According to studies performed by 30 organizations in eight locations throughout Peru, approximately 86.2% of human trafficking victims are female, 82.7% are children, and 75.9% are trafficked for sexual purposes. The most common occupations for victims of sex trafficking are street prostitution and brothel prostitution. In some jungle regions, often far removed from State control, there are numerous reports of children working in gold mines and children forced to work in brothels around mining sites. (Human Trafficking in Peru PDF)
(Colombia) Women’s Link Worldwide reports that human trafficking is not viewed as an internal problem by Colombian officials, despite evidence suggesting that more than 70,000 people are trafficked within Colombia each year. Poverty-stricken, displaced women and girls living in the communes of Medellín are trafficked and forced into prostitution in the burgeoning sex tourism industry fueled by foreign visitors. (Human Trafficking in Colombia PDF)
Africa:
(Ghana) A 2009 UNICEF report states that there has been an increase in the number of children involved in prostitution in Ghana. Data indicates that urban centers (e.g. Accra and Kumasi) are major hubs for child prostitution. A study conducted by the International Labour Organization found young girls engaged in prostitution at various locations in Accra, including popular tourist destinations like the Labadi Pleasure Beach and the Coco Beach Resort. One report indicates that there are more than 120 brothels in Accra where young girls are involved in prostitution. There are reportedly high numbers of children involved in prostitution in and around the areas of Osu, La, Nima, Maamobi, Bubiashie, New Town, Mallam Atta, Lapaz, and Madina. (ECPAT Ghana Report)
(South Africa) South Africa serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Asian and Eastern European women and girls are trafficked to South Africa every year for debt-bonded prostitution. Child sex tourism remains another major issue. In February 2008, a woman named Aldina dos Santos was arrested at a brothel in Moreleta Park. Two 15-year-old girls, who were being kept as sex slaves, were rescued from the brothel. Santos could not be prosecuted as a trafficker because there is currently no law within South Africa to criminalize human trafficking, but she was charged under the Child Care Act. A notorious route for child sex trafficking is along major haulage roads leading from Malawi to South Africa. Along these routes, truck drivers deceive children (primarily girls) by promising to provide them with educational opportunities and/or job opportunities if they agree to go to South Africa. Once in Johannesburg, the victim is held captive by the trafficker in a flat in the central business district, and other men visit the flat to pay to rape her. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in South Africa)
(Nigeria) 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, and impoverished children are often pushed into commercial sexual exploitation as a means to earn money for survival. Oftentimes, children are sold to sex traffickers by their own families. Birth registration is critical in ensuring the rights of a child, and the low number of birth registrations in Nigeria largely contributes to the susceptibility of children to commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. In 2013, only 41.5% of births were registered in Nigeria. These unregistered children do not have a legal identity, are difficult to trace, and are unlikely to be rendered legal protection. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Nigeria)
(Zambia) An ECPAT study confirmed that children below the age of 18 are involved in commercial sexual exploitation in tourist areas in Zambia. The children mainly operate in Livingstone and Solwezi because these two areas have the highest numbers of tourists. The study found that the majority of these children are in the age range of 14 to 18, but it was also recorded that some children were as young as 7 to 10 years old. (ECPAT Zambia Report)
(Ethiopia) In the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, the number of children involved in prostitution is increasing at an alarming rate. Many children migrate from rural areas in order to escape poverty, limited educational and job opportunities, and exploitative labor, only to become victims of commercial sexual exploitation in urban areas. In 2005, UNICEF estimated that there were 4.6 million orphaned children in the country, with 200,000 children living on the streets of Addis Ababa. These children are at a very high risk of entering prostitution as a means of survival, yet there is very little government support available to them. (ECPAT Ethiopia Report)
(Kenya) Kenya is considered one of the most popular destinations for child sex tourism. A UNICEF report estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 girls living in the coastal areas of Kenya are involved in commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Report on Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Africa)
Globally, how many children are involved in commercial sexual exploitation (prostitution)? How does the prostitution industry impact children?
Southeast Asia:
(Philippines) The Philippines serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 children are involved in prostitution. The victims are predominantly impoverished girls between 14 and 17 years of age. Child prostitution is especially prevalent in tourist areas. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the Philippines , A Survey of Child Sex Tourism in the Philippines)
(Thailand) Thailand serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. In 2007, it was estimated that there were as many as 60,000 children involved in prostitution. The Children’s Rights Protection Center estimates that 40% of those involved in prostitution are below 18 years of age. There are significant concerns about the lack of laws surrounding child pornography. Under Thai law, there is no definition of child pornography, and there is no prohibition and punishment for those who disseminate, offer, or possess child pornography. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Thailand , ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Thailand)
(Malaysia) Malaysia serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. At least 51 trafficked Cambodian girls and women were rescued from brothels in Malaysia from 2005 to 2007. Following a joint operation between Indonesian and Malaysian police, a Malaysian businessman and three Indonesians were arrested for trafficking 25 teenage girls aged 14 to 17 from Jakarta to Malaysia using false travel documents. The girls had been promised jobs as domestic workers, but were instead forced into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Malaysia)
(Cambodia) Cambodia serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Low travel costs, cheap prostitution, and poverty make Cambodia a key destination for child sex tourism. Child prostitution rings are especially prevalent in tourist areas. (ECPAT Country Overview - Cambodia)
(Indonesia) Indonesia serves as a country of origin and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that at least 100,000 children and women are trafficked in Indonesia every year. It is also estimated that 30% of female prostitutes are below the age of 18, and 40,000 to 70,000 Indonesian children are victims of some form of sexual exploitation. According to the National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI), based on data derived from 23 provinces, more than 2,000 child trafficking cases were recorded in Indonesia in 2007. The Directorate General of Tourist Destination Development of the Ministry for Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia states that from 1972 to 2008, they recorded more than 13,703 child victims of sexual exploitation in tourist destinations in six provinces. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Indonesia)
(Vietnam) Vietnam serves as a country of origin and destination for child sex trafficking. In the 1990s, it was estimated that 10.5% of those involved in prostitution were children. By 2003, the percentage increased to 15%. In 2007, it was reported that border guards discovered 32 cases of child prostitution and rescued about 100 victims. Child sex tourism is currently on the rise, and several child sex tourists have been arrested for the possession of child pornography. One foreign man, arrested in 2006 for sexually abusing Vietnamese girls, had videos of himself molesting children. Another foreign man, arrested in 2003 for raping Vietnamese and Cambodian girls aged between 12 and 18, was also in possession of child pornography. A third foreign man was arrested in 2005 for sex crimes against children aged 7 to 15 in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, and he was also found with child pornography. Evidence shows that videos depicting child sexual abuse are widely available in Vietnam and can be easily accessed online. (ECPAT Vietnam Report , ECPAT Country Overview - Vietnam)
(Singapore) Singapore serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. Between 2004 and 2007, 111 cases of sex trafficking of women and girls were investigated. In one case study, three Malaysians were arrested in Singapore after they were caught trying to traffic three Sri Lankan children, aged 11, 14, and 15, to London via Paris. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Singapore)
East Asia:
(Japan) Japan serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. The Women’s Consulting Office reported 12 cases of child trafficking (the victims were girls trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation) in 2006 and 2007. In July 2005, authorities investigated 21 girls in their late teens to early twenties who were trafficked into Japan for sexual exploitation. The police identified 117 victims of human trafficking in 2005, 58 victims in 2006, and 43 victims in 2007. In the first half of 2008, there were 830 arrests for child prostitution and child pornography. Child pornography is considered a significant problem within the country. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Japan)
(Taiwan) Taiwan serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. Victims of child trafficking in Taiwan are mainly from China. An ECPAT Taiwan survey that involved 62 girls trafficked from China for commercial sexual exploitation found that more than 60% had to give all their earnings to their bosses. In 2007, Taiwan authorities prosecuted 423 individuals for human trafficking, resulting in 74 convictions - including 16 convictions for the sexual exploitation of minors. As Taiwan’s economy has grown over the past decade, child sex tourism has become a significant problem. The Taiwanese military launched a probe into the case of a navy lieutenant who was caught hiring a girl working as a prostitute in Kaohsiung. The military found that 23 soldiers and officers had been in contact with the girl and two other children working in prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Taiwan)
(Hong Kong) Hong Kong serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Hong Kong is believed to be the second biggest market, after India, for Nepali women and girls being trafficked outside the country. An article in the American Chronicle stated that among girls trafficked to Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, and other Southeast Asian countries, around 6,000 were Nepalese. In one case study, a 16-year-old Filipina who worked as a hawker in the province of Bulacan to support her family was lured into Hong Kong by a Chinese recruiter who promised her a job as a domestic helper. When she went to see the recruiter at his house in Caloocan City, she met two other young women who were also promised jobs in Hong Kong. A few hours after her arrival, she was forced to be raped by six men. The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation believed that the male recruiter might be a member of a Manila-based syndicate with contacts in Hong Kong. In a similar case study, six Filipina victims were promised jobs as entertainers in clubs in Hong Kong, but they were forced into prostitution upon their arrival in Hong Kong. In yet another case study, a Hong Kong triad trafficked girls as young as 13 across the border from China for commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Hong Kong)
(Mongolia) A number of studies and reports clearly demonstrate that child prostitution is widespread throughout Mongolia. It is reported that in Ulaanbaatar alone, there are about 10 prostitution facilities that exploit young women and girls (about 30-40 young women and girls in each establishment). The number of child prostitution rings is increasing in other large urban areas, such as Darkhan, Erdenet, Selenge Aimag, Dornod Aimaga, and Zamiin-Uud. Many impoverished girls living on the streets of these urban areas are involved in prostitution. The number of registered cases of child prostitution rose from 48 in 1998 to 130 in 2002. Police registered 93 cases of child prostitution in 2006, 156 cases in 2006, and 127 cases in the first nine months of 2007. In addition, according to the Criminal Police Department, the number of minors held administratively liable for prostitution reached 380 in 2005, 402 in 2006, and 426 in 2007. (ECPAT Report on Mongolia)
(South Korea) South Korea serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The sexual exploitation of children in tourism is a considerable problem, as South Koreans are one of the main sources of demand for child sex tourism in Asia. In 2017, the Seoul government discovered that an increasing number of runaway children (children who have run away from home) are entering the commercial sex trade as a means of survival. According to a survey of 198 runaway respondents, 48.6% had entered the commercial sex trade in order to earn money. (ECPAT Country Overview - South Korea)
South Asia:
(India) India serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The trafficking of children for commercial sexual exploitation is common. Though the exact numbers are not known, it is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepalese girls are trafficked into India for commercial sexual exploitation every year. Most trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, however, happens domestically. Children are trafficked to and from states such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal. Kolkata (capital city of West Bengal) has emerged as a hub for the sex trafficking of girls. From Kolkata, the girls are often sold to brothels in Mumbai. Research suggests that a significant number of girls rescued from commercial sexual exploitation are re-trafficked, exposing serious flaws in existing programs supporting the rescue, return, rehabilitation, and reintegration of victims. Non-acceptance by families and communities of girls who return home, lack of alternative sources of income or livelihood options, and the increasing demand for young girls from brothel owners contribute to the re-trafficking of victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in India)
(Bangladesh) Bangladesh serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A UNICEF report stated that approximately 400 women and children are trafficked each month. Many children are trafficked with their parents’ consent, having been lured by promises of well-paying jobs or marriages. Women and children are trafficked to other South Asian countries, such as India and Pakistan, as well as domestically to be forced to work in brothels. Orphans, children of prostitutes, and other ostracized groups of children are especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation. A UNICEF survey found that the average age at which surveyed children first became involved in commercial sexual exploitation was 13 years old. Child pornography is a major problem, with one study showing that 80% of children exploited in prostitution are also exploited for the production of pornography. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Bangladesh , ECPAT Report on Bangladesh)
(Pakistan) Pakistan serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. There is extensive trafficking of children from Bangladesh and other South Asian countries to destinations within Pakistan, predominantly for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. India and Pakistan are the main destinations in South Asia for trafficked children under 16. Underground sexual exploitation of children is reported to be widespread. Existing child protection and rehabilitation services are highly inadequate. There is a dire need for the government to establish services to address the issue of the commercial sexual exploitation of children in a meaningful way. There is no mandated system for reporting child sexual exploitation, abuse, and neglect, leading to a paucity of reliable statistics and published data on the prevalence of the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Laws that criminalize prostitution make no distinction between adults and children. This means that children trafficked and forced into prostitution are treated as adults in the legal system and face punishment rather than support or protection if convicted. Pakistan’s legal system also places the burden of guilt on those selling sex or the sexually exploited/abused rather than on those paying for sex or those who force or persuade children into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Pakistan)
(Nepal) Despite the lack of official statistics, there is strong evidence that Nepal continues to have a major child prostitution problem. According to a 2010 report by Terre des hommes (Trafficking and Exploitation in the Entertainment and Sex Industries in Nepal), diverse sources report that in the Kathmandu Valley alone, there are 11,000 to 13,000 girls and young women working in the so-called ‘night entertainment industry’. According to findings by ActionAid Nepal, about 37% of these girls and young women provide sexual services for customers, while other sources report figures as high as 46%. Most of the girls and women come from poor farming families and are poorly educated. Over the years, several studies have been conducted to assess the magnitude of the prostitution of women and children in Nepal. These studies indicate that between 16% and 33% of females involved in commercial sexual exploitation are below 18 years of age. (ECPAT Report on Nepal , ECPAT Country Overview - Nepal)
Europe:
(Greece) Greece serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. It is estimated that approximately 40,000 women and children are trafficked into Greece each year for commercial sexual exploitation. However, official statistics quoted by Amnesty International show that only about 100 to 200 women and children are identified each year as victims of trafficking. Sex trafficking and forced prostitution in Greece has increased tenfold in the last decade, but only recently has the Government started to offer assistance and protection to victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Greece)
(Romania) Romania serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. The Romanian police reported 2,285 trafficking victims in 2006 and 2,072 victims in 2007, with approximately 14% being children. The Public Ministry in Romania recorded less trafficking victims in the same period, but proportionally more children, with nearly one in four victims identified as minors. During the first six months of 2008, 109 minors were identified as victims of trafficking. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Romania)
(Albania) There are limited official resources and statistics on the scale of the issue of child sexual exploitation in Albania, but data collected by the Albanian Rehabilitation Center for Trauma and Torture analyzing police figures from between 2016 and 2018 shows that 12 children were reported as victims of exploitation in prostitution. Organized crime groups are known to traffic Albanian girls both internationally and domestically for commercial sexual exploitation. A 2017 BBC News report on human trafficking in Albania told the story of a 14-year-old girl who was forced into prostitution after fleeing her home. She was raped by several men per day. Similarly, in a 2016 interview, an 18-year-old girl explained how she had been exploited in prostitution since the age of 14 after fleeing her home, and told of more girls who were working in the streets, some of whom were as young as 13 years old. (ECPAT Country Overview - Albania)
(Germany) Germany serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Large cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Mannheim) are the main destinations for trafficked children. It is believed that Germany’s prostitution industry made approximately 7.5 billion US dollars in 2003 alone, thus making Germany a key destination for sex trafficking. In 2007, the German Government identified 689 victims of sex trafficking, 81 of whom were children. In one case study, a German citizen was arrested at the Romanian border while attempting to traffic and force into prostitution three girls between the ages of 14 and 22. In another case study, a 17-year-old girl was offered a job as a caretaker for an elderly woman in Berlin. A polish man drove her to Berlin where he took away her passport and forced her into prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Germany)
(Czechia / Czech Republic) More than half of the identified victims of sex trafficking in Czechia are children, and police records from recent years show an increase in the reported cases of children involved in prostitution. 23 cases of sexual exploitation of children in prostitution were reported in 2016, and 15 cases were reported in 2015, but only 12 cases were officially investigated between 2010 and 2016. Czechia has been identified as a major source of child pornography, hosting the second largest number of URLs distributing child pornography in the EU. In 2015 and 2016, 123 cases of child pornography were detected, but only 19 of these cases were investigated. In 2014, an international network of child pornographers was traced to Červený Kostelec, a small town in Czechia. Reports estimated that 65 to 100 children between the ages of 7 and 18 were sexually exploited under the guise of shooting advertisements for foreign magazines. The material was sold online and to private clients abroad via a network spanning over 13 countries. (ECPAT Country Overview - Czechia)
(Austria) Austria serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. There were 118 suspected cases of child sex trafficking from 2009 to 2011. ECPAT Austria estimates that approximately 4,500 Austrians contribute to the global demand for child sex tourism in destinations known for the availability of child prostitutes, such as Thailand and the Philippines. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Austria , ECPAT Executive Summary - Austria)
(Poland) Poland serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Of the 198 cases of human trafficking prosecuted in 2000, 22 involved children. Of the 686 victims of human trafficking identified by Polish authorities between 2003 and 2007, 48 were children. A criminal ring that trafficked 20 young girls from Ukraine to Poland was uncovered in the Volyn region of Ukraine in May 2004. The girls had been promised well paying jobs abroad, but they were forced into prostitution upon arriving in Poland. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Poland)
(Switzerland) Switzerland serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. The Federal Police Office estimated that there were 1,500 to 3,000 victims of sex trafficking in 2002. Cases of child trafficking are scarcely reported to the authorities. Between 1997 and 2000, only three victims of child sex trafficking were identified by the police, and there is no data available for the following years. However, it is estimated that the number of cases is much higher than what is actually reported. In 2005, the recognized victim advisory centers found that 17 of the 126 identified victims of forced prostitution and sex trafficking were children. In 2006, they identified 13 children out of a total of 90 victims. In 2007, they identified 7 children out of a total of 128 victims. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Switzerland)
(France) France serves primarily as a country of destination for child sex trafficking. According to various NGOs, between 5,000 and 8,000 minors were involved in commercial sexual exploitation in France in 2002. In Paris, estimates vary between 150 to 500 minors involved in prostitution. According to the Central Office for the Repression of Human Trafficking (Office Central de la Repressionde la Traite des Etres Humains), 1,218 victims of soliciting prostitution were identified between 2003 and 2006, 27 of whom were girls under the age of 18. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in France)
(Spain) Spain serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. From 2002 to 2006, the National Spanish Police Force detected 2,749 cases of child trafficking, including at least 750 for sexual exploitation. In 2003, 323 cases of sexual exploitation were reported to the police, with almost all of them involving children from Romania. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Spain)
(Portugal) Portugal serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Children from Portugal are trafficked to Spain for commercial sexual exploitation. Many of the children trafficked to Portugal come from Brazil. Portugal is considered a major European destination for sex tourists. According to research by the European Coordination Office, 86% of Portuguese nationals interviewed believed that child sex tourism occurs in the country. Child pornography is also a big concern. In 1998, an 11-year-old boy vanished while walking home from school. Three years later, images of the boy being sexually abused were uncovered during an international police operation that cracked a global pedophile network. Hundreds of pedophiles in 13 countries had exchanged over 750,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of thousands of children through a private internet club called Wonderland. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Portugal)
(Belgium) Belgium serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. According to the Immigration Office, 160 victims of trafficking and smuggling were identified in 2006. 57 of the victims were trafficked for sexual exploitation. In 2007, nine trafficked children were identified, two of whom had been sexually exploited in prostitution. From January to June 2008, eight more trafficked children were identified, two of whom had also been sexually exploited in prostitution. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Belgium)
(Netherlands) The Netherlands serves as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. Research conducted by ECPAT Netherlands in 2005 identified 230 cases of child trafficking that occurred between 2003 and 2005, 169 of which were for commercial sexual exploitation. According to the Coordination Center for Human Trafficking (Comensha), the number of possible victims of trafficking has grown annually, with 403 in 2004, 424 in 2005, and 579 in 2006. A total of 101 child victims of trafficking were identified by Comensha in 2006. In 2007, 198 of the 716 trafficking victims reported to Comensha were children. In 2008, 169 of the 809 trafficking victims were children. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the Netherlands)
(United Kingdom) The UK serves primarily as a country of transit and destination for child sex trafficking. A Home Office study suggested that there may have been around 4,000 (child and adult) victims of sex trafficking in the UK in 2003. A report published by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center (government agency) identified at least 325 children in the UK as trafficked during the period from March 2007 to February 2008. ECPAT UK’s research in three regions of England identified 80 cases of known or suspected child trafficking. A recent CEOP report demonstrates that there is an ongoing demand for trafficked children for commercial sexual exploitation. A number of studies suggest that the increasing demand for child prostitutes is fueled by the availability of online child pornography. Police operations in the north of England have uncovered the online and offline grooming of British teenage girls that resulted in the girls being trafficked across the UK and pimped for commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the UK & Northern Ireland)
North America:
(United States) The US serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A relatively recent FBI operation arrested 131 people seeking child prostitution at major sporting events in several cities in California. The children involved were victims of trafficking brought through Oakland, a major trafficking hub in California, to other destinations where the demand for child prostitution is high. The youngest victim rescued was 11 years old. In June 2008, hundreds of people were arrested and 21 children were rescued in a five-day FBI operation focused on finding pimps who sexually exploited children. The arrests took place in 16 popular cities across the US. In 2019, The US Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a total of 220 human trafficking prosecutions, 208 of which involved sex trafficking. In 2018, the DOJ initiated 230 human trafficking prosecutions, 213 of which involved sex trafficking. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in the USA , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - United States)
(Canada) Canada serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Data from Canada’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system shows that the government reported a total of 340 trafficking incidents and 236 accused traffickers in 2018 and reported a total of 375 trafficking incidents and 291 accused traffickers in 2017. According to Statistics Canada (Government agency), 10-15% of people involved in street prostitution in Canada are under 18 years old. However, this figure is believed by most NGOs to be a gross underestimate of the problem. The Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada also reported that child sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children is a burgeoning national problem. Canada’s first human trafficking conviction took place in May 2008. The offender was Imani Nakpangi, a man who trafficked a 14-year-old girl and forced her into sexual slavery for a period of two and a half years. When the girl escaped at age 17, she went to the police and led them to a motel room where her trafficker kept another one of his victims (a 14-year-old girl). In Montreal, a man named Michael Lennox Mark pleaded guilty to trafficking a 17-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual exploitation and procuring three others (one of whom was under 18) to become prostitutes. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Canada , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Canada)
Central America:
(Mexico) Mexico serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. A number of Mexican cities are also popular destinations for child sex tourism. Migrant Mexican children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. According to UNICEF, along the Mexico-US border, at least 16,000 children are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Although the trafficked children in Mexico are from all over the world, the vast majority of victims are from other countries in Central America. Additionally, a significant number of Mexican children are trafficked domestically for commercial sexual exploitation, often lured from poor rural districts to urban tourist areas through false offers of employment. Between 1994 and 2002, due to the armed conflict in Chiapas, around 40,000 indigenous people were internally displaced, many claiming to have been physically and sexually abused by military personnel. Statistics indicate that at least 3,000 young girls from Chiapas were trafficked to Mexico City, Cancun, Acapulco, Merida, and Tapachula for commercial sexual exploitation in brothels in popular sex tourism locations. In 2000, a group of approximately 400 girls from Honduras aged 10 to 16 were repatriated. The girls intended to travel to the United States, but were forced into prostitution due to not having enough money for travel. In July 2008, the leader of a family-based child trafficking network, Ms. Consuelo Carreto Flores, pleaded guilty to trafficking girls into the United States for sexual exploitation. The trafficked girls came from poor communities near the US border. The girls were forced to serve an average of 30 men per day, and the money paid by the men was split between the brothels and the Carreto family, leaving the victims with nothing. In May 2007, José Nemesio Lugo Felix, Technical Officer of the Inter-Institutional Commission to Prevent and Punish Trafficking in Persons, was shot and killed near his office. He was leading the investigation of 47 networks operating in Mexico that were involved in child pornography, child prostitution, and child sex trafficking. One of these networks was reported to operate between Mexico and 12 cities in the United States, with an annual income of $400,000 for each of the girls they exploited. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in Mexico)
(Guatemala) Guatemala serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. 332 complaints of trafficking and trafficking-related offenses were made in 2019, 272 complaints were made in 2018, and 254 complaints were made in 2017. The Secretariat against Sexual Violence, Exploitation, and Trafficking in Persons (SVET) identified 678 trafficking victims (518 of whom were female) in 2019, 371 in 2018, 316 in 2017, 484 in 2016, and 673 in 2015. The commercial sexual exploitation of children is prevalent, with child sex tourism on the rise. The Special Rapporteur on child prostitution and child pornography found that child sex tourism is especially prominent in Antigua, Puerto Barrios, Río Dulce, Tecún Umán, and around Lake Atitlán. Child pornography is also a significant issue. Although the production and distribution of child pornography is illegal, it is easy to obtain child pornography on the streets. (ECPAT Guatemala UPR Report , 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Guatemala)
(Honduras) Honduras serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Authorities initiated prosecutions of 55 suspected traffickers (including 37 for sex trafficking and 16 for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2019, 35 suspects (including six for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2018, 84 suspects (including 82 for sex trafficking) in 2017, and 41 suspects (all for sex trafficking) in 2016. The government convicted 34 traffickers (including 33 for sex trafficking/procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2019 and 16 traffickers (including six for procuring commercial sexual exploitation) in 2018. The government identified 75 trafficking victims (including 66 for sexual exploitation) in 2019, 73 victims (including 63 for sexual exploitation) in 2018, and 150 victims (including 84 for sexual exploitation) in 2017. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Honduras)
(Panama) Panama serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Authorities in Panama initiated five trafficking investigations (including four for sexual exploitation) in 2019 and 32 trafficking investigations (including 25 for sexual exploitation) in 2018. The government prosecuted 10 suspected traffickers (including six for sexual exploitation) and identified 61 potential trafficking victims (including 33 for sex trafficking) in 2019. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Panama)
(Costa Rica) Costa Rica serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Additionally, Costa Rica is known to be a popular destination for child sex tourism. Costa Rican women and children are forced to resort to prostitution due to a number of reasons, including high rates of poverty and domestic violence. The Attorney General’s Office reported investigating a total of 69 trafficking cases (including 43 for sexual exploitation) in 2019. The government investigated and prosecuted individuals who paid for sexual services with child trafficking victims, resulting in four convictions in 2019, 22 convictions in 2018, and three convictions in 2017. The government also identified 35 trafficking victims (including 14 for sexual exploitation, two for both sexual exploitation and forced labor, four for both domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, and four for sexual servitude) in 2019. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Costa Rica)
South America:
(Brazil) A 2001 United Nations report estimated that 500,000 children are involved in prostitution in Brazil. The majority of victims of child sex trafficking are girls from situations of extreme poverty. In 2015, A 16-year-old girl from a low-income community in Rio was gang-raped, and graphic photos and videos of the incident were posted to Twitter, where several men joked about the attack. (Report on Domestic Sex Trafficking of Children in Brazil)
(Argentina) Argentina serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Since 2008, 3,465 women and girls have been rescued from human trafficking operations. 106 suspected traffickers (including 71 for sex trafficking, eight for both sexual and labor trafficking, and eight for forced marriage) were prosecuted in 2019. The Rescue Program (government office responsible for coordinating emergency victim services) reported assisting 1,438 victims of trafficking in 2019, 1,501 victims in 2018, and 1,107 victims in 2017. (Article by Johanna Higgs , 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report - Argentina)
(Chile) In 2003, the Government of Chile estimated that there were approximately 3,700 children involved in some form of commercial sexual exploitation. Anti-trafficking police units opened 92 investigations (including 62 for sex trafficking) in 2019, 39 cases (including 23 for sex trafficking) in 2018, and 21 cases (including 13 for sex trafficking) in 2017. In 2017, the National Minors’ Service (SENAME) identified 415 victims of child sex trafficking. (2020 Trafficking in Persons Report - Chile , Report on Human Trafficking in Chile)
(Peru) Peru serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. According to studies performed by 30 organizations in eight locations throughout Peru, approximately 86.2% of human trafficking victims are female, 82.7% are children, and 75.9% are trafficked for sexual purposes. The most common occupations for victims of sex trafficking are street prostitution and brothel prostitution. In some jungle regions, often far removed from State control, there are numerous reports of children working in gold mines and children forced to work in brothels around mining sites. (Human Trafficking in Peru PDF)
(Colombia) Women’s Link Worldwide reports that human trafficking is not viewed as an internal problem by Colombian officials, despite evidence suggesting that more than 70,000 people are trafficked within Colombia each year. Poverty-stricken, displaced women and girls living in the communes of Medellín are trafficked and forced into prostitution in the burgeoning sex tourism industry fueled by foreign visitors. (Human Trafficking in Colombia PDF)
Africa:
(Ghana) A 2009 UNICEF report states that there has been an increase in the number of children involved in prostitution in Ghana. Data indicates that urban centers (e.g. Accra and Kumasi) are major hubs for child prostitution. A study conducted by the International Labour Organization found young girls engaged in prostitution at various locations in Accra, including popular tourist destinations like the Labadi Pleasure Beach and the Coco Beach Resort. One report indicates that there are more than 120 brothels in Accra where young girls are involved in prostitution. There are reportedly high numbers of children involved in prostitution in and around the areas of Osu, La, Nima, Maamobi, Bubiashie, New Town, Mallam Atta, Lapaz, and Madina. (ECPAT Ghana Report)
(South Africa) South Africa serves as a country of origin, transit, and destination for child sex trafficking. Asian and Eastern European women and girls are trafficked to South Africa every year for debt-bonded prostitution. Child sex tourism remains another major issue. In February 2008, a woman named Aldina dos Santos was arrested at a brothel in Moreleta Park. Two 15-year-old girls, who were being kept as sex slaves, were rescued from the brothel. Santos could not be prosecuted as a trafficker because there is currently no law within South Africa to criminalize human trafficking, but she was charged under the Child Care Act. A notorious route for child sex trafficking is along major haulage roads leading from Malawi to South Africa. Along these routes, truck drivers deceive children (primarily girls) by promising to provide them with educational opportunities and/or job opportunities if they agree to go to South Africa. Once in Johannesburg, the victim is held captive by the trafficker in a flat in the central business district, and other men visit the flat to pay to rape her. (ECPAT Factsheet on Sex Trafficking of Children in South Africa)
(Nigeria) 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, and impoverished children are often pushed into commercial sexual exploitation as a means to earn money for survival. Oftentimes, children are sold to sex traffickers by their own families. Birth registration is critical in ensuring the rights of a child, and the low number of birth registrations in Nigeria largely contributes to the susceptibility of children to commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. In 2013, only 41.5% of births were registered in Nigeria. These unregistered children do not have a legal identity, are difficult to trace, and are unlikely to be rendered legal protection. (ECPAT Executive Summary - Nigeria)
(Zambia) An ECPAT study confirmed that children below the age of 18 are involved in commercial sexual exploitation in tourist areas in Zambia. The children mainly operate in Livingstone and Solwezi because these two areas have the highest numbers of tourists. The study found that the majority of these children are in the age range of 14 to 18, but it was also recorded that some children were as young as 7 to 10 years old. (ECPAT Zambia Report)
(Ethiopia) In the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, the number of children involved in prostitution is increasing at an alarming rate. Many children migrate from rural areas in order to escape poverty, limited educational and job opportunities, and exploitative labor, only to become victims of commercial sexual exploitation in urban areas. In 2005, UNICEF estimated that there were 4.6 million orphaned children in the country, with 200,000 children living on the streets of Addis Ababa. These children are at a very high risk of entering prostitution as a means of survival, yet there is very little government support available to them. (ECPAT Ethiopia Report)
(Kenya) Kenya is considered one of the most popular destinations for child sex tourism. A UNICEF report estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 girls living in the coastal areas of Kenya are involved in commercial sexual exploitation. (ECPAT Report on Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Africa)
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