On the Internet, child pornography and solicitation of children for sexual purposes are the most prominent cyber crimes, and the distribution of obscene materials is the most prosecuted cyber crime. The leniency of the sex trade around the world has resulted in an increase in prostitution, sex tourism, and pornography.
More opportunities than ever for internet traffickers
Websites like Craigslist and Facebook have been hotbeds for child trafficking around the world, allowing one of the world’s most heinous crimes to flourish virtually unchecked. Craigslist has come under fire from law enforcement officials across the country almost since its inception for the ease with which it connects sex offenders with their victims. The site’s founders have responded to some of the complaints. Last year, Craigslist removed its “erotic services” section and replaced it with “adult services,” where posting an ad costs $10. Unfortunately, Craigslist, Facebook, and ChatRoulette.com can claim to be immune from liability due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. This law provides exemption from liability for website owners and users whose content is provided by others. Regardless of what happens to these websites, with the ability to launch a new site literally in minutes and the dominance of social media and chat sites, child traffic via the web will continue to be a problem.
Factors Contributing to the Child Trafficking Pandemic
There are many factors that contribute to the growth of child trafficking. One of the main causes of this pandemic stems from the sex entertainment industry. Many victims of human trafficking are forced to work in this industry or in prostitution. The main factor is the demand for porn from pedophiles and others who are constantly craving more. Some consider pornography to be the main driver of child sexual exploitation. Children are often forced to act out scenes in tough movies for paying clients. With relatively minor legal deterrents, the desire to feed their addiction is causing more people to participate in this illegal industry. According to child trafficking statistics from an NBC report, an estimated $200,000 is made from a single girl each year. A US Department of Justice report states that approximately 300,000 children are at risk of child slavery and sexual exploitation each year; this epidemic equates to a multi-billion dollar industry here in the United States. According to UNICEF, an estimated 2.5 million children are exploited worldwide. After drug trafficking, human trafficking is the second largest business in the world. The industry accumulates around 12 billion dollars a year.
US Government Joins Domestic Response
The United States government began implementing anti-trafficking policies in 1998. In 2001, the first US State Department report on the subject of human trafficking was released. His goal was to raise awareness around the world about the problem of child slavery. In her introduction to the 2009 Trafficking in Persons Report, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that ending human trafficking is a priority for the United States because of the value we place on human rights. Within the report, they point to specific countries that must step up their role to end the global trade in human beings. As the State Department works to unite the world on this issue, the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Department of Justice, have stepped up their efforts to raise America’s awareness and implement policies on child trafficking.
Nonprofits Raise Support to Attack Child Trafficking
Many non-profit organizations around the world have joined the fight against child slavery. Many choose to try to rescue crime victims. Although they are effective in helping many victims, more and more children are being victimized every day. The US State Department report notes that an effective strategy to end child trafficking must also address the demand side. As a result, a handful of nonprofit organizations help raise funds to combat child sexual predators. SCTNow is a non-profit organization focused on ending the demand for child trafficking and assisting local authorities in prosecuting predators. Additionally, they support special operative agents to collect information on child traffickers globally that will be used to convict child sex buyers.
How can you help?
There are many ways to respond and take action against online sex trafficking:
* Send letters to the founder of Craigslist, Facebook, etc. asking for a commitment to reduce human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children on their sites.
* Sign petitions advocating change on sites that turn a blind eye to child trafficking.
* Spread the word on your social networks and link to articles or any other resources you find about this epidemic.
* Report inappropriate websites that exploit children to http://www.asacp.org.
The fight against child trafficking is daunting, but organizations and individuals like you who stand up for what’s right are making positive moves against this booming criminal industry.