The trafficking of children for purposes of sexual exploitation

Executive summary
This research reports on one component that underpins most child sexual exploitation through child
prostitution: the sexual exploitation of children through trafficking. In examining this issue, our
specific focus fell on both in-country and cross-border trafficking. The primary motivation for the
research flowed from a growing concern about the increase in child prostitution. This report is the
result of various national and international initiatives embarked on over the last four years. These
initiatives are discussed in chapter 1.
Premises of the research
The primary assumption of this research report is that child prostitution equals the sexual
exploitation of children and that children are coerced into prostitution. In keeping with the South
African constitution, children in this report, are those persons under the age of eighteen years. As
trafficked children do not voluntarily engage in the exchange of sex for money or luxury items this
report therefore does not regard them as sex workers. Where the term sex worker is used it is placed
in quotes. Sexual exploitation of children occurs primarily for the enrichment and economic
survival of others. That the financial needs of others are met in this way clearly indicates that there
is a demand for children as providers of non-emotional and anonymous sex.This research report,
however, does not have an in-depth focus on sex exploiters, who provide payment in kind or cash.
The primary focus is on socio-economic structural conditions in South Africa that provide the push
and pull for the increase in child prostitution. Another focus is on adults who are responsible for
facilitating the child's involvement in the exchange of sex for money or items the adult would
normally not have ready access to. The report also provides a voice to children who have
experienced such sexual exploitation.
Focus of the study
A concern underlying this research was to understand what accounts for the increase in child
prostitution. The intended aim was to establish what the key causal factors for the trafficking of
children are, how this trafficking takes place and who is involved, so that a picture of the nature of
trafficking and the operations involved can be presented and solutions to stem the increase offered.
Findings
In presenting these findings the report focuses on critical aspects related to the trafficking of
children. These are
• Who are the children at risk?
• Who is trafficking them?
• How are children trafficked?
• Why are children trafficked?
• What happens to children when they are trafficked? And
• What solutions can we offer to stem this practice?
While the findings are varied, the results highlight the following key aspects:
1. The trafficking of South African children is predominantly an in-country phenomenon. Most of
these children are trafficked within the vicinity of the place of origin. Girl children are the
primary targets, although boy children have also been identified as victims. Girl children range
in age from four to seventeen years
2. Parents and local gangs are the primary traffickers of children, sometimes in collusion with each
other. Traffickers in South Africa are thus predominantly locals
3. With regard to the cross-border trafficking of children, traffickers have been identified as foreign.
These traffickers have been identified as individuals and crime syndicates from Eastern
Europe, Moçambique and Thailand
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