Trafficking is the recruitment, transport and transfer of children, through abduction, deception or force, for exploitive purposes, Unicef, 2008, Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse.

Criminal networks are making billions of dollars trafficking men women and children.

The United Nations estimates that child-trafficking generates $US 7 to10 billion annually for traffickers (human trafficking is estimated at upwards of $US 30 billion annually). Trafficking is the second most lucrative crime around the world next to the drug trade. 30% of trafficking victims are below the age of 18 and although it is estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year, the sexual exploitation of children surpasses 10 million annually, ECPAT Australia (2008) .

Often poor children and their parents are unaware of their rights and desperate to live better lives. They are easily tricked by the false promises of employment offered by  traffickers. Others are coerced into going with traffickers. Complex criminal networks, inadequate social welfare structures, and ill equipped law enforcement make child-trafficking a difficult problem to combat.

Worldwide Problem