Link to Article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/15248380211025241
I chose the article, Recruitment and Entrapment Pathways of Minors into Sex Trafficking in Canada and the United States: A Systematic Review by Kyla Baird and Jennifer Connolly, because I feel like it discusses issues related to this course.
The article examines how traffickers lure our youth into sex trafficking, and analyzes the tactics used to do so. According to the article, Traffickers have been using two main tactics to lure children into trafficking, the first being Relational tactics. Relational tactics typically uses romance and fake-love as a way to manipulate these children, for example the “boyfriend role” is one of the most common forms of this tactic. The trafficker will manipulate the child into believing that they love them and if they have sex with them or others they will be rewarded for it with affection, love, money, etc. The second tactic used by traffickers is Aversive tactics. Aversive tactics involve violence against youth such as rape, beatings, abductions, and burnings.
The article also broke down the specifications that traffickers look for in children. The average age of children being trafficked is between twelve and fourteen years old. These children usually come into contact with traffickers first through online websites, and then are either abducted or manipulated into meeting traffickers in places such as malls or locations where they are not supervised by an adult. It was also noted that traffickers target children who are in foster or group homes, and are runaways.
Police and government agencies are investigating the increase in sex trafficking in the United States. The article stated that the research they have gathered so far has led them to believe that prevention must start online. The online presence of children has grown exponentially in the passed ten years, and continues to grow. Due to the increase of internet use, traffickers are finding easier ways to traffic children.
I feel like this article adds to our class discussion because it involves the sexual exploitation of children in the United States. It is also happening in other countries at high rates, so this is more than just an American issue, it’s a global issue.