Threats to Girlhood
Threats to Girlhood
U.S. Department of State’s “Trafficking in Persons Report” estimates that children make up 50% of the 600,000 – 800,000 people who are trafficked across international borders every year, the majority of whom are forced into the commercial sex trade.278 80% of transnational trafficking victims are women and girls.279 ng.280 ldwide.281
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is the world’s largest criminal enterprise, after drugs and weapons, and it is the fastest growing. 280 The United Nations estimates that 1.2 million children are victims of human trafficking each year.282 95% of human trafficking victims experience physical and/or sexual violence and abuse during trafficking.283 278 U.S. Department of State. “Trafficking in Persons Report.” June 2004. p.16. http:// www.state.gov/documents/organization/34158.pdf 279 U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report: 2007. http://www.humantrafficking.org/uploads/publications/2007_TIP_Report.pdf. 280 Miko, F. & Park, G. (March 2002). Trafficking in women and children: The U.S. and international response. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved July 22, 2009, from http:// fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/9107.pdf. 281 U.S. Department of State (June 2009). Trafficking in persons report 2009: Introduction [Electronic version]. From http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009. 282 UNICEF, UK “Child Trafficking Information Sheet.” January 2003. p.1. http://www. unicef.org.uk/unicefuk/policies/pdf/child_traffick-br.pdf 283 The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Stolen smiles: a summary report on the physical and psychological health consequences of women and adolescents trafficked in Europe (London, 2006). In: UN Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking. “Human Trafficking: The Facts.” p.1. http://www.unglobalcompact.org/docs/issues_ doc/labour/Forced_labour/HUMAN_TRAFFICKING_-_THE_FACTS_-_final.pdf
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