Sponsor a Child And Help Prevent Child Trafficking
Child Trafficking — The Issue
Child trafficking is “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children for the purpose of exploitation” (UNICEF). Worldwide, there are nearly two million children under 18 years of age in the commercial sex trade, which is just one of the purposes of child trafficking. Other common forms are child labor, child slavery, and organ removal.
Approximately 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls, and up to 50 percent are minors. UNICEF estimates that 1.8 million children enter the global sex trade every year. Once children are sold into slavery, it is nearly impossible to get out, unless they are rescued.
Child Trafficking — The Link to Poverty
Poverty is the largest contributor to child exploitation because the children are highly susceptible. The poor are prey to human trafficking due to undocumented citizenship, lack of basic needs, and lack of education.
Sometimes the families are desperately in need of money and push the children into the sex trade. In other cases, children are kidnapped without anyone noticing.
Child Trafficking — Tackling the Issue One Child at a Time
The problem of child trafficking becomes overwhelming, so Compassion International tackles it one child at a time. Compassion seeks to “release children from poverty in Jesus’ name” and since it is an effective prevention against poverty, it is also a prevention against child trafficking. Recognizing that poverty is more than a lack of money, Compassion works to holistically address the individual physical, economic, educational and spiritual needs of children—enabling them to thrive, not just survive in their current situation.