| Child Trafficking and Abuse
The UN estimates that every year 1.2
million children are trafficked all over the world.
But what is trafficking?
UNICEF has defined trafficking as;
“Trafficking in persons” shall mean
the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring
or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use
of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of
fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position
of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments
or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having
control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation shall include, at the minimum, the exploitation
or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual
exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or
practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal
of organs.’
From endchildexploitation.org.uk 17th September
2005)
Young girls in particular are known
to be victims of trafficking. They are preyed upon by
traffickers, particularly if they are having problems
with family. Young girls are promised a better life,
a better job, more money and then are tricked into moving
to a place they don’t know and then having to work in
the sex trade. The other method of course being by abduction
or kidnap.
Children of course are not trafficked just to work in
the sex industry. They are also exploited for child
labour. Promises of a better education lure parents
into entrusting their children to traffickers who then
force the children to work all day long with no pay.
Over the last few years, child trafficking
has increased in the UK, with children being bought
to the UK from West Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia.
There are no exact statistics available on how many
children are being trafficked into the UK more awareness
of the matter is being raised.
The death of Victoria
Climbie on the 25th of Febuary, proved the fatal consequences
of ignoring the abuse that children face when they are
smuggled into the country. Victoria was bought into
the UK by her aunt who had promised a better life for
the child and was only 8 years old when she died.
Victoria Climbie
During her time here, Victoria was brutally
abused by her aunt Marie- Therese Kouao and her partner
Manning. Victorias’ post mortem revealed a total of
128 injuries, it is known that in the last few months
of her life, Victoria was forced to sleep in a bath
tub with no adequate clothing, food or heat.
Victoria’s death bought this issue to the public attention,
and although more light has been shed on the issue,
it is clear that more drastic action must be taken ,as
the number of children being moved illegally is still
shockingly high.
Article by Sharni Rai
|