Commercial sexual exploitation of children

According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the lack of reporting the crime and "the difficulties associated with identifying and measuring victims and perpetrators"[1] has made it almost impossible to create a national estimate of the prevalence of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the United States.

A mutating and multifaceted system of severe human exploitation, violent crimes against children followed by child abuse, and violations of their rights.

Traffickers often travel to underdeveloped countries to take advantage of the lack of laws surrounding the crime of child prostitution, corruption within government, high levels of poverty, and other various factors.

The emergence of these online communities has also boosted and promoted communication between local offenders, both bonding over and normalizing their interest in children, desensitizing them to the physical and psychological damages sometimes anonymously that way they can share without fear of being caught.

[13] The advancement of technology has led sex traffickers to "adopt and adapt new online capabilities to target and exploit victims and create 'market' opportunities".

For example, cybersex traffickers have the power to share a victim with other sex buyers, opening up a bigger pool of dangerous individuals.

Due to the lack of education, many of these parents living in poverty are unaware of the dangers surrounding commercial exploitation of children and view it as a chance for a better life for their child.

[17] A study conducted on the correlation between corruption in law enforcement and within the government is strongly related to commercial sexual exploitation specifically, human trafficking.

[18] However, it is nearly impossible for research to be conducted in this area due to significant challenges that are faced such as the lack of information available on corruption within societies.

[19] Whether the children be in pornography, brothels, or trafficked, they are all at risk for sexually transmitted infections, physical violence, and psychological deterioration.

[22][21] Other psychological risk factors include sleep and eating disorders, gender-disturbed sexual identity, hysteria, and even homicidal rage.

These are inescapable repercussions which can include general symptoms of flashbacks, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder that could lead a child to sink into a deep depression.

[23] The Rapid Assessment survey, developed by the ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)[24] and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),[25] relies on interviews and other, mainly qualitative, techniques, to provide a picture of a specific activity in a limited geographic area.

UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimate that 2 million children are exploited in prostitution or pornography every year.

[26] The first world meeting to fight globally against the commercial sexual exploitation of children was held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1996.

[27] There has been multiple agreements and works of actions put in place to fight against the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

One of the actions being taken is the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime which was "adopted by General Assembly resolution 55/25 of 15 November 2000".

"The World Congress III against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil"[30] on November 25 through 28th in 2008.

The Congress was composed of UNICEF, ECPAT, the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and lastly, the Brazilian Government.

Y-ACT offers both standalone and series workshops, tailored to the needs of participants in terms of length, curriculum, and age ranges, with a focus on creating a student-centered environment that promotes safety, empowerment, and inclusivity.

The PACT Training Institute provides training for professionals working with children on human trafficking, covering red flags and steps to take when concerns arise, aiming to equip staff with confidence in addressing complex issues, ultimately fostering environments where children feel safe to seek help.

Another effort taking great stride in CSEC prevention is the Interdiction for the Protection of Children[36] program, which employs proactive policing tactics aimed at preventing criminal offenses, with a focus on rescuing child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as those at risk of victimization.

"Body autonomy begins with simple things you can teach your child, starting in their toddler years and reaffirming the lessons as they grow.