Child Trafficking In The United States

The blood curdling scream echoed through the hall of the house where the teenage girl was ripped out from underneath the bed. She was hiding from the darkly dressed men who had just taken her best friend. Fortunately, she had called her dad while hiding and he eventually found her weeks later, right before she was to be auctioned off into slavery. This scene from the movie, Taken resonates with me and comes to mind when human trafficking is discussed. However, almost none of actual human and child trafficking cases result in the family finding and rescuing the victim. According to Transparency International, there are more than 12 million victims of human trafficking in the world each year, more than half of which are women and children. Child
Most people think that child trafficking only happens in countries such as Central and South America, but it is happening everywhere. Child trafficking has been reported in all 50 states of the United States. Child trafficking does not just happen in one certain area or to one certain group of people. Child trafficking can literally happen to just about anyone. For example, the girl from Taken was a naive tourist on vacation. Some areas and personalities are more targeted for child trafficking. Low- income children and children with low self-esteem are prone to often be the most common targets for child trafficking. All these children want is attention so they are willing to listen to anyone who will give them the time of day. However, child trafficking does occur in all parts of the world and happens in a variety of
Emotional trauma, fear, and physical and mental abuse cause a very certain developmental delay in these children. “Children who have been exposed to complex trauma, such as prolonged physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect, violence, and torture, are at increased risk for a number of symptoms and behavioral characteristics, including attachment, biological integrity, emotional regulation, dissociative adaptations, behavioral, cognitive functioning, and self concept. Outcomes include developmental delays, language and cognitive difficulties, deficits in verbal and memory skills, poorer academic performances, and grade retention” (Rafferty, 2008, p. 14). Child trafficking is not only causing psychological issues in children. It is also causing major physical health issues. The victims of child trafficking are threatened by unsafe sex, are at very high risks of unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, complictions from pregnancies, and sexual transmitted diseases. HIV/AIDS are very common among children that have been often trafficked. Although empirical studies have not assessed the psychological impact of child trafficking, case studies have reported adverse emotional effects among trafficked children, including depression, hopelessness, guilt, shame, flashbacks, nightmares, loss of confidence, lower self-esteem, and anxiety (ECPAT, 2006a). Empirical research on child maltreatment has