Stop Child Trafficking in the USA

Dear Friend,

Human trafficking — the buying and selling of humans for exploitative purposes — is an industry that thrives on the vulnerability and desperation of its victims. The circumstances under which victims are coerced or deceived into being trafficked vary considerably, from war and natural disasters to poverty and political corruption. These conditions create chaos and fuel the desperation of the civilians affected by them.

Humanitarian crises often lead to human trafficking.

Humanitarian crisis is among these factors and finds itself creeping to the forefront as the number of global crises continues to rise. Because of the many pressing issues to address in the wake of a humanitarian emergency, trafficking is often overlooked as a direct consequence. Instead, it is often viewed as a pre-existing issue.

Although trafficking frequently exists within a region before it is affected by crisis, it is also very often a direct consequence of humanitarian emergencies. The forced armed recruitment of child soldiers, the opportunistic trafficking of displaced persons, the enslavement of persecuted ethnic minorities, the demand for sexual services by armed groups — these are all examples of crisis-specific trafficking.

Traffickers capitalize on loss and destruction to exploit their victims.

Traffickers capitalize on loss and destruction to exploit their victims, navigating the blurred line between consent and desperation as crisis-affected families and individuals fight for survival.

There is evidence of trafficking rates exacerbated by crises all over the world today. Whether it is the trafficking of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh or the exploitation of Central American migrants seeking refuge in the United States, desperate families and individuals often have little choice but to risk exploitation in an effort to survive. 

How can you get involved?

• Get active to end trafficking this January using our End Trafficking Month Toolkit
• Join UNICEF UNITE
• Donate to the GlobalGiving project
• Spread the word by on social media

Thank you for putting children first!

Dear Friend,

Thank you for your continued support of our End Trafficking Program. Throughout January, we will spotlight the world’s challenges and opportunities around addressing child exploitation; in particular, we are looking forward to working with passionate people – just like you – to take action to raise awareness of what causes trafficking and commit to building a future where no child experiences exploitation or violence.

This year, we will be focusing on conscious consumerism and how we all can demand an end to trafficking by tackling the root causes that allow exploitation to persist. Many more details are to come, but here are some ways that you can stay in the know as we get closer to January:

• Join UNICEF UNITE – our newest grassroots community working in 18 U.S. cities to support UNICEF’s lifesaving work;
• Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @EndTraffick; and,
• View our new End Trafficking resources and keep an eye on our homepage for all the tools you’ll need to get active.

Thank you for your continued support and efforts to create a better world for children. We look forward to working alongside you this January and all year long. 

Thank you!