Where Does Child Sexual Exploitation Happen?

Child sexual exploitation can happen anywhere and takes place worldwide. It can even happen in the suburbs of affluent countries like the United States.

A21 reports the following shocking statistics1:
  • More people are enslaved today than any other time in history.
  • Human trafficking generates $150 billion globally.
  • 25% of all people trafficked are children.
According to legaldictionary.net, sexual exploitation can include all of the following: indecent touching or exposure of or to a child, use of sexually explicit language towards a child, involvement of a child in pornography, showing a child pornographic material, early or forced marriage, rape, incest and sexual slavery.2 Many of these have no ties to affluence or lack thereof and are not specific to any one region in the world.

This insidious, evil form of exploitation will have lasting consequences for any child or minor. From poor health to depression to suicidal thoughts, a child experiencing sexual exploitation will be scarred, possibly for life. Child Welfare Information Gateway reports,

“The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect—isolation, fear, and an inability to trust—can translate into lifelong consequences, including low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties, as well as increased risk for developing an addiction to drugs and alcohol.”3

Children who are the most exposed to these dangers need safety and protection. GFA World’s child sponsorship program provides key essentials for children and their families, helping children who might otherwise find themselves in trafficking situations.


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