Human trafficking is the fastest-growing organized crime activity in the United States, with an estimated 250,000 children becoming victims of sexual trafficking each year. Many of these children still attend school and live at home with their families.
With the increasing sexualization of preteens and teenagers, children often do not realize they are victims, especially in the beginning. They are frequently manipulated by older adults who gradually involve them in trafficking. This may involve grooming and seduction through promises of affection. The manipulator often acts as a disguised “pimp” and later becomes the enforcer of the child’s sexual exploitation. Sometimes, a woman can also act as a manipulator, providing a false sense of security to the victim. These women are sometimes referred to as “recruiters” and are often used by pimps to lure victims.
Child sex trafficking can affect children of all ages. These children are often kept hidden from the public, and in some cases, one of the parents or a family member may be involved in the trafficking. As mentioned earlier, most older teenagers involved in trafficking still maintain a normal appearance in society.
It is important to note that children are often not physically forced into trafficking but rather persuaded, bribed, deceived, or coerced. They may not understand that what they are going through is wrong, especially at the beginning, and may be afraid to report the situation. Due to the naivety of children, they often do not realize they are being exploited or trafficked. They often only realize the gravity of the situation when they are threatened or coerced and feel they have no alternative. Child sex trafficking is often characterized by an invisible control through severe manipulation and extreme emotional abuse by the perpetrators.
Font: Stop Child Exploitation
