Opinion Article

Stolen Innocence

What would you do if a child you cared for was being forced to exploit themselves for money? Imagine the little girl that had a smile so big when she twirled in the princess dress, or the young boy who idolized his father and couldn't wait to become a fireman, selling sex on the corner. It's sick. The popularity of underage human trafficking in the United States is rising. Up to 1.2 million people are trafficked across international borders yearly. This equates to two people a minute! Of the 17,500 people illegally forced into the US each year, over half are minors. More often than not, these children are forced to enter the complex industry of sexual trading. This not only destroys innocence, but it also creates a horrid cycle of murder, crime, and violence.
Across international borders, the trading of children proves to be incredibly lucrative. The lure of money and power draws many men, known as “pimps” into the prostitution business. With trickery and manipulation, children are coerced into performing sexual “tricks” for men, known as “johns”, who are usually over twice their age. The San Diego-Tijuana border is the busiest in the world. More people cross here than in any other U.S. city. This means that more people are able to "slip through the cracks" and make it past authorities. These people are usually children. The problem has continued to grow since originally being recognized in the 1970’s, and in 2005 it was estimated that as many as 800,000 American children are at risk of being forced into prostitution.
Because most of the sexual trading happens in private places, it is virtually impossible for police to detect when underage trafficking is taking place. If more people are told what is happening, and learn the facts, they will be able to recognize a problem and report it fast. A good way to educate the public about this issue is to bring awareness to it on a community level. Many adults are aware of the issue but, since it does not directly affect them or their family, it is not prioritized as a significant problem. There is no doubt that if most people understood the urgency of this issue, they would not hesitate to help stop the exploitation in any way they could. Unfortunately the importance of stopping underage prostitution is not well known. The public must be educated. Bring awareness to your community and watch for signs. This illegal and horrifying trading could be taking place near you. To look at a complete list of sex offenders in your neighborhood go to RegisteredOffendersList.org. Report any suspicious activity to the police. This problem is urgent and in order to save the lives of today's young children we must act now!