What We Do
Trafficking of Foreign Children to U.S.
Children are trafficked to the United States from all over the world as part of a larger global phenomenon of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a complex phenomenon, caused by poverty, uneven development, official corruption, gender discrimination, traditional cultural practices, civil unrest, natural disasters and lack of political will to end it. Trafficking routes exist in every region and also within countries. The U.S. government estimates 600,000 to 800,000 people trafficked across international borders each year. Trafficking also occurs internally, with victims moved within a single country.
The U.S. government estimates 14,500 to 17,500 people trafficked to the U.S. each year. Some experts estimate that about one third of them are children under 18 years old. Children are especially vulnerable to being trafficking because they are often uneducated and untrained. They are easy to overpower and easy to convince that they must do what an adult tells them to do. They are also in a position where they believe they must help support the family and may even be sold or sent abroad by family members to do so.
Street children, children in refugee camps, children whose family and community life has been disrupted and do not have someone to look out for them are all especially vulnerable to human trafficking.
In 2002 ECPAT-USA published a report about trafficking of children to the U.S. for sexual exploitation in 2002 “International Trafficking of Children to New York City for Sexual Purposes.”
From 2002 to 2005 ECPAT-USA and the International Organization for Adolescents carried out the New York City Community Response to Trafficking Project
The Project.
1) Conducted educational outreach and provided specialized technical support to community-based organizations and others.
2) Fostered collaboration between community-based organizations, members of at-risk communities, NGOs, and law enforcement agencies and developed the “Guidelines for Responding to Trafficking in Persons in New York City” for identifying trafficked persons.
3) Provided specialized training to service providers, criminal justice agents and community groups about human trafficking, the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and how to identify and assist victims.
