What is human trafficking?
«The term »human trafficking’ refers to the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, by abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of authority or of a position of vulnerability, or by offering or accepting payments or benefits to obtain the consent of a person having authority over another for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation includes, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, or the removal of organs.”
Article 3(a) of the Palermo Protocol supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and Article 4(a) of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings of May 16, 2005.
Understanding High-Risk Situations
Poverty alone is not enough to explain why a child becomes a victim of trafficking. More often than not, it is the combination of several challenges—affecting the child, the child’s family, and the child’s environment—that makes the child more vulnerable.
Here are the 9 high-risk situations we have observed most frequently:
1. Domestic Violence : The child is exposed to physical, verbal, or emotional abuse within the home, including between adults.
2. Social isolation : The child or his or her family lacks support—whether from extended family, neighbors, friends, or connections with institutions (schools, organizations, local authorities)—due to fear or a lack of information.
3. Family Instability : The family constantly struggles to meet its basic needs: food, housing, health care, and education.
4. Prejudice and Discrimination : the child or his or her family is subjected to unfair treatment or exclusion because of their gender, a disability, their sexual orientation, their religion, their origin …
5. Lack of protection: The child is left alone or without supervision appropriate for his or her age, sometimes in dangerous environments (violence, alcohol or drug use).
6. Psychological difficulties: the presence, within the household, of untreated substance use disorders or mental health issues.
7. Lack of parenting skills : Parents lack the information or confidence to meet their child's emotional, physical, and educational needs.
8. Lack of identification documents : The child does not have any legal documents: birth certificate, ID card, or registration with the civil authorities.
9. Lack of access to education : The child is not enrolled in school, is no longer enrolled, or attends school irregularly.
How do traffickers go about recruiting children?
By working directly with child and family victims of trafficking in Southeast Asia, the social workers of the PEGASE program have identified three methods commonly used by traffickers to lure their victims:
The “fake lover” method” : A person pretends to be in love to convince their target to join them, while promising them a job and pay. This method, often used by pimps, frequently targets teenage girls and boys.
Direct Hiring : Traffickers directly offer jobs and the promise of a better life to families. Sometimes, former victims are sent out to recruit other young people. Once far from home, the young victims find themselves isolated and exploited, either through forced labor or prostitution.
The family's well-known intermediary : This method is often carried out by someone known to the victim or their family, who returns after being away for a while, wearing new clothes and carrying a new phone, and claims that their boss has a job to offer.
By explaining these methods to children and families, the goal is to help everyone better recognize the signs of human trafficking, remain vigilant, and take appropriate action before it is too late.
