Child trafficking and exploitation

Young people are trafficked so that they can be exploited. Child exploitation is when you are forced or tricked into doing something you don’t want to do for someone else’s benefit.  Exploitation and trafficking involve many types of abuse and neglect.

Some of the things you could be forced to do are:

• have sex or perform sexual acts – this is called sexual exploitation
• work (for example in a factory, restaurant or someone’s house)
• beg, steal or commit crime
• grow, carry or deal drugs
• sell your organs
• force you to marry someone.

If you’ve experienced child trafficking or exploitation, you may have mixed feelings about the person who’s exploiting you. It can feel confusing because on the one hand they’re making you do things that you don’t want to do, but they could also be really nice to you, give you nice things and be there when you need them.

Traffickers and others who exploit young people are very skilful at becoming your friend and building a relationship with you so that they can exploit you. This is called grooming. They then make you feel like you have to do things that you don’t want to. And often use physical, sexual or emotional abuse to control you. Nobody should be making you feel like this. No one has the right to manipulate you into doing things you’re uncomfortable with.