The trafficking of children for purposes of sexual exploitation

2. In summary
International and local literature provides us with valuable insights into
child prostitution and the traffic of children for this purpose. Importantly,
it allows us to identify the key casual factors that lead to this phenomenon
and facilitates its growth. It also allows for the identification of those
involved in these practices.
From newspaper reports it is clear that a wide range of individuals and
groups at all levels in society contribute to this exploitative practice.
These can be individuals, club owners, taxi drivers and someone the child
knows, including a parent. It can also be those organised into gangs and
syndicates.
Newspaper reports also indicate that in some instances communities are
aware of child sexual exploitation and justify this as a 'necessary evil' in a
society were children are increasingly needed to help supplement the
family income or to provide for themselves.
From these investigative accounts in newspapers it appears that girl and
boy children on and of the street resort to prostitution as a means of
survival, whether voluntarily or as a result of having been trafficked.
These reports also indicate that there is considerable migration of girl children across the country.
This in-country migration of girls is a particularly important phenomenon, which warrants more
serious attention.
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