Call your members of Congress Voice your support for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which provides the United States with tools to combat trafficking here and abroad. Learn more about the TVPA. Learn more about forced child labor and trafficking What is trafficking? | What constitutes child labor and exploitation? | What are the causes? | How do consumers make a difference? | What can we do? | Take action | Additional resources Why we advocate Jesus Christ is the model and basis for our advocacy — namely, His identification with the poor, the afflicted, the oppressed, and the marginalized. Read more Back to Top

What is trafficking?

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It is the use of fraud, force, or coercion to exploit a person for profit. Estimates vary, but there are anywhere from 12 million to 27 million people enslaved in the world today. There are more slaves in the world today than during any other time in human history.(1)

Trafficking does not necessarily involve movement. It is not the same as human smuggling. Trafficking takes on many guises and occurs within countries and across borders. It occurs in every country in the world, including the United States. (2)

Examples of human trafficking include:

• Children abducted to fight as child soldiers
• One person sold to another to serve as a slave or bonded laborer
• Children from rural areas of poverty, sold or stolen away to serve as sex slaves in brothels

At least 2 million children are trafficked annually for child labor and sexual exploitation. (3)

What constitutes child labor and exploitation?

Exploitive child labor is any work done by children that is hazardous, prevents them from getting an education, or is harmful to their health or to their physical, mental, or social development.

Some 115 million children work in hazardous conditions (4), such as:

• Working in mines
• Working with chemicals and pesticides in agriculture
• Working with dangerous machinery

Children are also trafficked for sexual exploitation. Many of these children are either sold into prostitution to pay off family debts or forcibly recruited on the street to work in brothels, where they may be required to have sex with as many as 30 men each day. Some prostituted children are just 5 years old.

What are the causes?

Poverty — both in the home and at a national level — is a major cause of child labor and sexual exploitation. The International Labor Organization points to a strong correlation between income levels and child labor across countries, with the poorest countries registering the highest rates of child labor.

Child exploitation is not only a consequence of poverty. It is also a cause. If children are prevented from going to school because they are forced to work, they are unlikely to find good jobs as adults, and then their own children may be forced to work. Child labor can also drive down the wages and working conditions of adult workers, making it more likely that children will need to work to supplement their family’s income.

How do consumers make a difference?

You can fight slavery with your wallet. Chances are, the electronic device you’re using to read this was made with some form of forced labor, most likely from the mining of minerals like coltan and tin. By pressuring electronic companies to have a transparent supply chain, you are fighting the exploitation of children in the making of these products.

You can find out what companies are doing more to end exploitation in their supply chain by going to www.free2work.org.

What can we do?

The United States can use its influence and resources to continue to battle child trafficking and exploitation around the world.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 is the cornerstone of U.S. policies against modern-day slavery. The TVPA created the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking by focusing on both the domestic and international dimensions of this heinous crime. It is what makes the United States the global leader in combating modern-day slavery.

Because the methods of human trafficking are constantly evolving, the law must evolve with them. That is why the TVPA must be renewed every few years. Each time the bill is renewed, innovations and improvements are added to the original legislation.

The most recent version of the TVPA expired on September 30. Urge your members of Congress to support the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act so that the United States remains a leader in the fight against human trafficking.

Take action

• Pray for children around the world who are being harmed by child labor practices. Pray for people trying to help these children, and for a transformation of those who are forcing children into these roles.
• Call your members of Congress to voice your support for the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.
• See what goods are believed to be produced with exploitive child labor.
• Give monthly to support children affected by exploitation. Your monthly gift will help provide interventions like safe shelter, food, health care, and trauma recovery assistance for children affected by trafficking and exploitation.

Additional resources

• Read World Vision’s report (pdf), “Ten things you need to know about labour trafficking in the greater Mekong sub-region.”
• Take a look at the 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report (pdf). See how World Vision is partnering with PhotoVoice to help youth advocate on these issues through photography. (See page 6.)

Sources

1. Understanding Global Slavery, Kevin Bales
2. Trafficking in Persons Report, US State Department, 2011
3. ILO End of Child Labor Within Reach, 2006 (pdf)
4. Press release: New ILO Global Report on Child Labour, International Labour Organization, 2010