Child Exploitation

Child trafficking is a form of child abuse. It is the exploitation of children for economic or sexual purposes, and includes the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of a child for exploitation. Children may be sold, illegally adopted, forced into early marriage, recruited into the armed forces, pushed into prostitution, or trafficked to work in mines, factories, or homes. In such environments they are exposed to extreme forms of abuse and are denied access to basic services and the meeting of their fundamental human rights. Trafficked children often lack basic legal status and support networks, making their condition virtually "invisible."

Children without parental care, living in poverty, and those in high risk environments such as war affected regions, are all highly vulnerable to trafficking. Conflict and post conflict environments pose the greatest risk to children since the breakdown in family and social systems, the increase in poverty, and large numbers of troops present, are all factors which make sexual and economic exploitation of children more common.

Prevention is crucial to reduce the incidence of children affected and includes the registering of all displaced children, and their temporary care until verification and family reunification activities can take place. All children, caretakers, and communities should be educated on the risks to children and protective steps to ensure children do not become separated and exposed to abuse and exploitation. Where possible, unaccompanied children should be placed in regulated and protective family environments such as kinship or foster care.

Governments, the police, border controls, teachers, and all organizations responsible for protection must work together to prevent trafficking, identify those children at risk, advocate for their safety, and prosecute those responsible. This includes awareness raising for communities, institutions, and personnel working with vulnerable groups, such as armed forces, peacekeepers, and humanitarian workers.

Support services for children who have been trafficked should include medical, psychosocial, family reunification, and legal elements, to facilitate the reintegration of the child into the community and to enable educational and economic opportunities which are in the child’s best interests.

This section of documents examines the nature of trafficking in more detail, and includes policy and practical information to prevent and respond to child exploitation.

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Country Care Review: Samoa

Better Care Network, 11 Jul 2016

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Orphanage Volunteering: Why to say no Infographic

Better Volunteering Better Care, 01 Jul 2016

This infographic produced by Better Volunteering Better Care explains in an accessible way why we should say NO to international volunteering in orphanages (residential care centres).

Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention Education: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

Silvie Bovarnick and Sara Scott, 01 Jul 2016

This briefing is based on a rapid assessment of the available evidence relevant to CSE prevention education. It brings together key messages from research and evaluation about what works to prevent sexual exploitation and promote healthy relationships.

Interpersonal trauma and associated psychopathology in girls and boys living in residential care

Sophia Fischer, Claudia Dolitzsch, Klaus Schmeck, Jorg M. Fegert and Marc Schmid - Children and Youth Services Review, 16 Jun 2016

The present study aimed to assess the relationship between interpersonal traumatic experiences and specific psychopathological symptoms in a high-risk population of girls and boys living in youth welfare institutions in residential care.

Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse

ECPAT International & Interagency Working Group, 14 Jun 2016

These Terminology Guidelines were developed by an Interagency Working Group to "offer guidance on how to navigate the complex lexicon of terms commonly used relating to sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children."

Altruistic Exploitation: Orphan Tourism and Global Social Work

Karen Smith Rotabi, Jini L. Roby and Kelley McCreery Bunkers - British Journal of Social Work, 30 May 2016

Based on an exhaustive review of the global literature and utilising an innovative theoretical framework of ‘altruistic exploitation’, the authors explore the ironic juxtaposition of benefits and harms associated with orphan tourism to the various stakeholders.

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Country Care Review: Slovakia

Better Care Network , 17 May 2016

This country care review includes the care-related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Offenders on the Move: Global Study on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism 2016

Angela Hawke and Alison Raphael - ECPAT International & Defence for Children-ECPAT Netherlands, 12 May 2016

This report aims to raise awareness and spur action from governments, the tourism industry and civil society organisations to end the sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism (SECTT).

In Brief: Voluntourism

Global Study on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism - ECPAT, 11 May 2016

This brief from ECPAT's Global Study on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism defines the term "voluntourism" and its risks to children, with a focus on orphanage voluntourism.

Orphanage Volunteering - Why To Say No

Better Volunteering Better Care, 01 May 2016

A detailed explanation of the problems associated with volunteering in orphanages (residential care centers).