Summary
The article expands on previous body of literatures on the problems caused by child sex trafficking within the United States by providing detailed information. Despite widespread opposition, human trafficking is a serious issue in the United States. Many individuals are aware of this issue, and efforts are made to counteract it. Since this problem has worsened over the past few years, it has received a lot of attention from the federal government, which has responded by enacting policies to combat it (Fedina et al., 2019). However, there are few specifics about the difficulty of child sex trafficking in the United States, which seems to minimize the significance of the problem.
The victims of domestic child sex trafficking are typically children under the age of eighteen. There are a variety of risks and challenges that these children face when they work in the sex industry. One hundred and fifteen people from five cities in a Midwestern state were examined in this study. Participants in the study were classified as either former victims or current or past members of the sex industry. According to the study findings, living in poverty is a significant risk factor that initiates many individuals into the commercial sex industry at a young age (Fedina et al., 2019). The need to bring food to the table often necessitates unpleasant activities, and the women bear the brunt of this burden. As a result of the difficulties they are experiencing, they are even enlisting the help of their young children in order to get the necessary funds.
Homelessness, substance misuse, mental illness, and traumatic experiences are further contributors. The children, especially the homeless and runaways, are at risk because of their proximity to such activity. When additional family members are currently or formerly engaged in sex trafficking, it increases the likelihood that the child may get involved themselves. Some victims suffer from the abuse of both a sexual and emotional nature at the hands of friends and peers who have also worked in the purchased sex industry. Based on the findings, running away was the most significant predictor of exposure to juvenile sex trafficking. In the survey, 62.6% of victims reported having run away at least once (Fedina et al., 2019). Addiction to drugs or alcohol and sexual abuse as a child both placed at 45.4% (Fedina et al., 2019). Also important were experiences of emotional and physical abuse when the person was a child. People of color disproportionately made up the population of minors who were victims of sex trafficking.
Reflection
In the United States, child sex trafficking is a particularly difficult problem to solve. While federal programs are playing a role in addressing the problem, further work is needed to fully investigate potential causes (Franchino-Olsen, 2021). This will aid in lowering the possibility of kids and teenagers straying into dangerous situations they are not prepared for (Sprang & Cole, 2018). Alliances between social workers and the organizations tasked with protecting children and youth and ensuring the effectiveness of their interventions are essential (Fedina et al., 2019). As a tragic reflection of the disparity in the United States, sex trafficking is concentrated disproportionately among members of minority communities.
The article is informative since it outlines the essentials of domestic sex trafficking by first discussing the appeal of people working in the industry. The victims of this trafficking are also reflected in the article’s statistics. It is well-structured and follows good standards, such as the ones presented in the research questions. The article also provides detailed answers to all of the issues posed, demonstrating that it covers every angle of the dangers associated with domestic child sex trafficking. However, more research needs to be conducted on juvenile sex trafficking to guarantee that anti-trafficking authorities consistently provide assistance and interventions to victims of human trafficking.
References
Fedina, L., Williamson, C., & Perdue, T. (2019). Risk factors for domestic child sex trafficking in the United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(13), 2653-2673.
Franchino-Olsen, H. (2021). Vulnerabilities relevant for commercial sexual exploitation of children/domestic minor sex trafficking: A systematic review of risk factors. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(1), 99-111.
Sprang, G., & Cole, J. (2018). Familial sex trafficking of minors: Trafficking conditions, clinical presentation, and system involvement. Journal of Family Violence, 33(3), 185-195.