Who is a child sex trafficking victim?
A child who has received food, drugs, money, or shelter in exchange for sex.
Georgia’s Sex Trade Problem
Recently, the FBI named Atlanta as one of the 14 cities in the nation with the highest incidence of children used in prostitution. Each month, more than 400 girls are commercially sexually exploited in Georgia – girls who are 12 and 14 years old on average. A target for exploitation, one out of every three teens will be lured into sexual exploitation within 48 hours of leaving home.
Research
90% of exploited children are under the control of a pimp.
Often, the trafficker or pimp will break the girl’s will in order to prepare her for prostitution and separation from her previous life which is accomplished through the use of several methods including physical and sexual violence, manipulation, isolation and coercion and threats, economic dependence, substance use and emotional abuse.
Children who have been sexually abused are 28 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution at some point in their lives. It has also been found that the majority of girls and adult women who engage in prostitution have a history of sexual abuse in their childhood.
Studies have found that there is a correlation between sexual and physical violence and negative health behaviors such as substance abuse, risky sexual practices, depression and suicide attempts.
After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing.- Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA)
Approximately 1.7 million runaway/throwaway episodes occur every year in the U.S. - 2005 Mayors Report, Hidden in Plainview
600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually, 80% of victims are female, and up to 50% are minors.- National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Human Trafficking Fact Sheet
While poverty and inequality are important factors in making certain populations more vulnerable to being trafficked, they are not the primary cause of trafficking. Trafficking is a criminal industry driven by 1) the ability to make large profits due to high demand, and 2) negligible-to-low risk of prosecution. As long as demand is unchecked and the risks for traffickers are low, trafficking will exist regardless of other contributing factors. Blaming poverty and inequality alone is not only inaccurate and disheartening, it tends to deflect blame from the key actors that perpetuate trafficking - the traffickers themselves and their customers.- Polaris Project
Unless otherwise indicated, all data is courtesy of the Atlanta Governor’s Office of Children and Families.
A child who has received food, drugs, money, or shelter in exchange for sex.
Georgia’s Sex Trade Problem
Recently, the FBI named Atlanta as one of the 14 cities in the nation with the highest incidence of children used in prostitution. Each month, more than 400 girls are commercially sexually exploited in Georgia – girls who are 12 and 14 years old on average. A target for exploitation, one out of every three teens will be lured into sexual exploitation within 48 hours of leaving home.
Research
90% of exploited children are under the control of a pimp.
Often, the trafficker or pimp will break the girl’s will in order to prepare her for prostitution and separation from her previous life which is accomplished through the use of several methods including physical and sexual violence, manipulation, isolation and coercion and threats, economic dependence, substance use and emotional abuse.
Children who have been sexually abused are 28 times more likely to be arrested for prostitution at some point in their lives. It has also been found that the majority of girls and adult women who engage in prostitution have a history of sexual abuse in their childhood.
Studies have found that there is a correlation between sexual and physical violence and negative health behaviors such as substance abuse, risky sexual practices, depression and suicide attempts.
After drug dealing, human trafficking is tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest criminal industry in the world today, and it is the fastest growing.- Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA)
Approximately 1.7 million runaway/throwaway episodes occur every year in the U.S. - 2005 Mayors Report, Hidden in Plainview
600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders annually, 80% of victims are female, and up to 50% are minors.- National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Human Trafficking Fact Sheet
While poverty and inequality are important factors in making certain populations more vulnerable to being trafficked, they are not the primary cause of trafficking. Trafficking is a criminal industry driven by 1) the ability to make large profits due to high demand, and 2) negligible-to-low risk of prosecution. As long as demand is unchecked and the risks for traffickers are low, trafficking will exist regardless of other contributing factors. Blaming poverty and inequality alone is not only inaccurate and disheartening, it tends to deflect blame from the key actors that perpetuate trafficking - the traffickers themselves and their customers.- Polaris Project
Unless otherwise indicated, all data is courtesy of the Atlanta Governor’s Office of Children and Families.
