Children Trafficking

It has come to our attention that while we have been focusing upon children who are trafficked into the United States from other countries it is also estimated that several hundred thousand American children are sexually exploited by both large and small illegal profiteering rings.

"Recruiters" target young children: runaways, those alone, not in school during school hours, those crying, etc. These predators approach a distressed child offering friendship and a place to live. After the child agrees to go with the adult he or she is beaten, drugged and held hostage through continued physical and sexual abuse. Girls and boys, as young as 12, are kept in brothels then transported to hotels often "servicing" transient clients who come to sports events and conventions. In rural areas children are used to provide sex at truck stops.

"Sex trafficking" is when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion and occurs when the person forced to perform such an act is under the age of 18" (Adopted from the World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Stockholm, Sweden, August 1996.)

Sexual exploitation of children includes prostitution, exotic dancing, pornography, computer exploitation, erotic massage and trafficking for sexual purposes Adopted from the World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Stockholm, Sweden, August 1996.

Resources In-depth

1. How children in America are being sexually exploited: Who are the children?
2. U.S. Government response: Legislative, Juvenile Justice, Recent prosecutions
3. Mission of Catholic Charities: Legislative priority, Trafficking Task Force established, Role of Catholic Charities USA, What Catholic Charities agencies can do.
4. Trafficking Tools: How to keep children safe at home, Testimony from youth regarding unwanted exposure to sexual material on the internet, What to do when a trafficked child is found, What rural communities can do.
5. Trafficking Links: Domestic and International.