A Global Problem With Big Numbers
How big is the problem? Here are some numbers:
1,000,000. The number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade, every year. (1)
14,500 - 17,500. The number of foreign nationals trafficked into the United States every year. (2)
244,000. The number of American children and youth estimated to be at risk of child sexual exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitations (3)
Sources: 1. U.S. Department of State, The Facts About Child Sex Tourism: 2005. 2 DOJ, HHS, DOS, DOL, DHS, and USAID. Assessment of U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons: June, 2004 3. Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001.
1,000,000. The number of children exploited by the global commercial sex trade, every year. (1)
14,500 - 17,500. The number of foreign nationals trafficked into the United States every year. (2)
244,000. The number of American children and youth estimated to be at risk of child sexual exploitation, including commercial sexual exploitations (3)
Sources: 1. U.S. Department of State, The Facts About Child Sex Tourism: 2005. 2 DOJ, HHS, DOS, DOL, DHS, and USAID. Assessment of U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons: June, 2004 3. Estes, Richard J. and Neil A. Weiner. The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work: 2001.
US Youth
The average age of entry into prostitution at 12-14 in the United States. Shared Hope International reports homeless youth are at exceedingly high risk, with 30% of youth in shelters and 70% of youth on the street as victims of some form of commercial sexual exploitation
The National Center for Missing and Exploited children reports that common factors in youth who have been prostituted are drug use, violence in the home, disrupted family life, foster care placements, and past physical, sexual, or especially psychological abuse. Other risk factors include lack of resources, associating with sex workers or exploitation victims, or family substance abuse. At times an adult caregiver, significant other, or even friend becomes the exploiter, selling the youth to a third party, demanding payment for care with sexual acts, or pressuring the youth to use sex in a survival situation.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited children reports that common factors in youth who have been prostituted are drug use, violence in the home, disrupted family life, foster care placements, and past physical, sexual, or especially psychological abuse. Other risk factors include lack of resources, associating with sex workers or exploitation victims, or family substance abuse. At times an adult caregiver, significant other, or even friend becomes the exploiter, selling the youth to a third party, demanding payment for care with sexual acts, or pressuring the youth to use sex in a survival situation.
Orphaned Children in Russia
The stats for 15,000 children who “graduate” from the Russian orphanage system (some as young as 15-16 years old) are dismal:
10% commit suicide,
30% commit crimes
40% are homeless
33% are unemployed
80% face drug and alcohol addictions
50% of the girls are forced into prostitution
Sources: Ascent Russian Orphan Aid Foundation, Human Rights Watch, The CoMission for Children at Risk
10% commit suicide,
30% commit crimes
40% are homeless
33% are unemployed
80% face drug and alcohol addictions
50% of the girls are forced into prostitution
Sources: Ascent Russian Orphan Aid Foundation, Human Rights Watch, The CoMission for Children at Risk