Child Sex Trade, Essay Example

Introduction

The main aim, purpose and objective of this paper is to discuss, outline as well as explore child sex trade activities in the society. The paper will mainly focus on the child sex trade activities and practices in the United States of America and in other countries globally. The paper will also include and discuss the history of child sex trade in the United States of America, the ongoing efforts that have been put in place by the government to prevent child sex trade in the country. Finally, the paper will include my personal thoughts and opinions based on the child sex trade activities in various countries globally.

Child Sex Trade

Child sex trade is one of the modern slavery and social practices that have been witnessed in various countries globally including in the United States of America (Weitzer 63). According to a number of recent research based studies and reports, it is clear and evident that child sex trade mainly involves the use of violence, threats as well as lies and other bad social practices that compel children to engage in sex activities despite their disagreement (Annitto 34).   Based on the United States federal policies and procedures, it is clear that individuals under the age of eighteen who are induced in commercial sex based activities against their will are victims of child sex practices in the society (Annitto 52). In most cases, child sex traders involve the use of force, fraud and other forms of coercion in order to induce children to involve in commercial sex activities against their will. This is a violation of human rights and is against the law (Annitto 17).

There are some cases where children are lured to involve in sex activities with adults with the promise of a good job especially dancing and modelling based jobs in the society (Annitto 16).  It is also worth noting that some of the vulnerable populations that are mostly targeted by sex traders include homeless children, children from domestic violence families as well as children from war zones in the society (Annitto 11).

 In the current society, child sex trade occurs in a number of procedures and avenues including through fake massage business operations, through escort services and through online and digital ads practices (Hepburn, and Rita 13). According to current labor laws and policies, child sex trade involves exploitation and violation of children rights in the society thus should be discouraged in various regions globally (Annitto 66). There is need for proper protection, prevention as well as child sex victim assistance practices in the society in order to reduce this bad social activity in the society (Rafferty 180).

Based on a number of studies and publications, there are a number of factors that has led to high child sex trade in the society including lack of proper social and ethical values in the society. Economic problems facing various families is also another factor that has led to increase of child sex trade practices in the society (Collins 72).  It is also worth noting that child sex trade is both a domestic and an international problem in the society (Collins 77).  For example, according to recent research studies, it is clear that around two hundred thousand children are mostly involved in child sex trade in the United States alone every year (Kotrla 183).  It is also clear that children are mostly sexually exploited by their close family members as well as their family friends especially for monetary gains (George 402).

Furthermore, child sex tourism, child sex pornography activities, stripping and phone sex firms form some of the common social activities that promotes child sex trade activities in the society (Britton, and Laura 305). Some of the challenges that United States of America government faces in reducing and controlling child sex trade practices in the society including underreporting of the child sex activities and difficulty in identifying the victims and perpetrators of child sex trafficking behaviors in the society (Britton, and Laura 315).

According to various research studies and reports, there are a number of forms of human trafficking including forced labor, bonded labor, child soldier recruitment and involuntary domestic servitude (Britton, and Laura 322). Based on the recent estimates by various global firms in the society, it is evident that around twenty seven million individuals face human trafficking problems in the globally society (Britton, and Laura 312). It is also true and evident that child sex trade is common in developed global regions such as in Europe, United States as well as in Asia among many other regions globally (Britton, and Laura 310).

According to the United States child trafficking protection policy, child sex trade includes sexual exploitation activities that children face in the society (Brysk 269). This policy was mainly implemented in order to reduce, control and prevent the high levels of child sex trade activities in the society. The policy provides several evaluation procedures that include anti-trafficking policies in the society (Brysk 270). The policy also outlines three major principles of reducing child trafficking activities in the society including prevention of child sex trade, protection of victims and prosecution of child sex trade offenders (Trafficking in Persons 268). The United States government has also adopted the use of the Palermo protocol that outlines some of the effective procedures of preventing child sex trade activities including punishment procedures for the child sex trade perpetrators in the society (Britton, and Laura 326).

In most cases, majority of individuals in the society lack proper awareness about child sex trade activities and this forms a great hindrance towards mitigation of the practice in the society (Brysk 260). There are a number of psychological problems associated with child sex trade (Steele 61). For example, child sex trade victims mostly suffer from high rates of posttraumatic stress disorders, experience high levels of fear, depression and high levels of anxiety (Weitzer 81). There are also some cases where the victims experience sexually transmitted diseases, memory loss, aggression as well as physical pain and emotional trauma (Brysk 267). In some cases, the victims also experience high levels of shame and stigma associated with the unwanted and forced sex activities (Annitto 38).

It is also true and evident that children who live around high crime neighborhoods are more likely to experience child sex problems in the society (Holman 100). Other factors include discrimination against women and girls, gender bias practices as well as the widespread use of internet and other social media platforms such as Face book and YouTube (Weitzer 78). Child sex trade in the past was mainly involving girls. However, today boys are also part of the victims of child sex trade in various regions globally (Holman 107).

Based on my opinion and viewpoint, I do not support any form of child sex trade activities in the society. This is mainly because I believe that child sex trade is a gross violation of human rights and negatively influence the psychological well-being of children in the society. Furthermore, I also believe that there is need for the provision of legal procedures and policies in order to combat child sex trade in various countries globally including in the United States of America. The government should monitor social media activities of individuals in the country in order to identify those involved in child sex trade activities in the society (Andrews 415).

The government should also ban and abolished the use of child pornographic images in the society as this promotes child sex activities in various regions globally (Hodge 147). Empowering of poor families and educating the public about the bad effects of child sex trade activities can also help in reducing the crime in the society ((Weitzer 67). The government should also provide strict policies and procedures towards the perpetrators of child sex trade in the society. This may include many years in jail or imposing a lot of fines to the perpetrators of such crimes.

 It is also imperative for the government to train and work closely with local communities in identifying the perpetrators of child sex trade practices in the society (Collins 69). This has been applied in various countries such as Senegal, Bangladesh, China and Senegal among many other countries in order to combat and reduce child sex trade activities in the society (Collins 76).

Works Cited

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Annitto, Megan. “Consent, Coercion, and Compassion: Emerging Legal Responses to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors.” Yale Law & Policy Review 30.1 (2011): 1-70.

Britton, Hannah, and Laura Dean. “Policy Responses to Human Trafficking In Southern Africa: Domesticating International Norms.” Human Rights Review 15.3 (2014): 305-328.

Brysk, Alison. “Sex as Slavery? Understanding Private Wrongs.” Human Rights Review 12.3 (2011): 259-270.

Collins, Hannah. “Human Trafficking in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region.” DISAM Journal of International Security Assistance Management 3. (2014): 69-77.

George, Shelly. “The Strong Arm Of The Law Is Weak: How The Trafficking Victims Protection Act Fails To Assist Effectively Victims Of The Sex Trade.” Creighton Law Review 45.3 (2012): 563-580.

George, Shelly. “The Strong Arm Of The Law Is Weak: How The Trafficking Victims Protection Act Fails To Assist Effectively Victims Of The Sex Trade.” Creighton Law Review 45.3 (2012): 563-580.

Hepburn, Stephanie, and Rita Simon. “Hidden In Plain Sight: Human Trafficking In the United States.” Gender Issues27.1/2 (2010): 1-26.

Holman, Melissa. “The Modern-Day Slave Trade: How the United States Should Alter the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act in Order to Combat International Sex Trafficking More Effectively.” Texas International Law Journal 44.1/2 (2008): 99-121.

Hodge, David R. “Sexual Trafficking In The United States: A Domestic Problem With Transnational Dimensions.” Social Work 53.2 (2008): 143-152.

Kotrla, Kimberly. “Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the United States.” Social Work 55.2 (2010): 181-187.

Rafferty, Yvonne. “Children for Sale: Child Trafficking In Southeast Asia.” Child Abuse Review 16.6 (2007): 401-422.

Steele, Sarah L. “‘Combating the Scourge’: Constructing the Masculine ‘Other’ Through U.S. Government Anti-Trafficking Campaigns.” Journal of Hate Studies 9.1 (2010): 33-64.

“Trafficking In Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress.” Trends in Organized Crime 14.2/3 (2011): 267-271

Weitzer, Ronald. “The Movement to Criminalize Sex Work in the United States.” Journal of Law & Society 37.1 (2010): 61-84.