The trafficking of children for purposes of sexual exploitation

Chapter 3
Review of literature: The trafficking of children for
purposes of sexual exploitation
1.Literature Surveys
1.1. International literature
The international literature on the trafficking of children into domestic and foreign sex industries is
vast. Most of this literature focuses on the trafficking of children on the Asian continent, with a
particular focus on Southeast Asia, 22 especially Thailand, where the local sex industry although
illegal is said to account for 15 to 18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. 23 Among these, are
various studies conducted by anti-trafficking organisations. 24
The themes covered in these reports are:
• the international trafficking of children
In general the literature indicates that children are trafficked to feed the growing international sex
industries. This is largely by international crime syndicates. It also reveals that this is primarily to
feed the growing sex tourism industries in Asian countries.
• the regional trafficking of children
The focus on the regional trafficking of children is primarily Asian-based and involves the
trafficking of children on the Indian sub-continent.
• the factors that put children at risk of being trafficked
From the literature the primary factors that put children at risk are poverty and religious practices
such as temple prostitution in particularly Thailand and India.
• the number of children being trafficked
These vary, but figures range from a few hundred to tens of thousands. Trafficked children are
primarily girls although boys have been identified in Sri Lanka.
• rescue of trafficked children
A number of documents have this as a feature. This usually covers the rescue of an individual girl
child by a non-governmental organisation. The child is usually rescued from a brothel and reintegrated
into her village. In some instances the rescue of a few girls from a single brothel is
recorded.
• the need for legal reforms and penalties for traffickers
Most of the literature that focuses on this aspect indicates that there is not sufficient legal
prohibition that allows for the arrest and conviction of traffickers. This usually relates to the
difficulties related to extradition of traffickers for offences committed in the country of destination.
• that trafficking is a violation of the rights and dignity of the child
Anti-trafficking groups focus on this aspect with regard to the rights of children contained in the
United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. Articles 34 and 35 expressly obligate
22 Researchers who conducted a global literature review for UNICEF confirm this. See J. Ennew et al: How Can We
Measure and Monitor the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children? Literature Review and Annotated
Bibliography UNICEF and others, 1996
23 L. Lim (ed.) The Sex Sector: The economic and social bases of prostitution in Southeast Asia (ILO, International
Labour Office, Geneva, 1998)
24 UNICEF Cambodia: The Trafficking and Prostitution of Children in Cambodia: A Situation Report, 1995,
ECPAT, YMCA, ECPAT and UNICEF: Child Prostitution: The Ultimate Abuse: Report on National Consultation
on Child Prostitution Nov 18-20 1995, New Delhi and various websites See for instances: Global Alliance Against the
Traffic in Women see: http://inte.co.th/gaatw For Coalition Against Trafficking in Women see:
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/hughes/catw/catw/htm For Captive Daughters see www.captive.org For Prostitution Research
see www.prostitutionresearch.com
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