Child trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation in times of migration crisis: the cases of Greece and Ethiopia. Accept what is being done to their kids, if you don’t mind it being done to yours

Abstract

Child trafficking is an issue that is increasing year after year and can take different forms. This thesis will be focusing on child trafficking for sexual and labor exploitation as they are the most common identified forms of child Human Trafficking1. The beneficiaries (traffickers/pedophile gangs/exploiters/pimps or “users”) often go unpunished and are extremely difficult to identify. Some of the victims are also considered criminals in the case that their presence on the territory is illegal. This issue has been pointed out a lot more by the international community and by civil society in the last decade and Child trafficking is a problem on several organizations’ and governments main agenda. However, despite the awareness raising at a local level, and the different international, national and regional policies put in place, there is one thing that makes trafficking a much easier crime to commit nowadays. The migration crisis’ observed around the globe facilitate the trafficking of children. Criminal bands take advantage of this humanitarian crisis to commit such crimes. This explanatory research aims to give an overview of the policies in place for the prevention, protection and after-care of the victims in the two different regions we will be focusing on: Greece and Ethiopia. It will also present the importance of the consequences preventing children’s development and well-being.