Trafficking of Vulnerable Children in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Child trafficking is a crime and a violation of the rights of the child. The trafficking of children represents a failure of the state and the community to protect children from unscrupulous recruiters and human traffickers. In southeast Asia, children are trafficked into a variety of sectors, including factory work, begging, domestic labour, fishing, and sex work. Complex ‘supply’ and ‘demand’ factors exacerbate the phenomenon of child trafficking. Traffickers prey on children as they are less aware than adults of their employment rights and less likely to seek help through appealing to the authorities or through industrial processes. This chapter explores the phenomenon of child trafficking in southeast Asia, presents research-based implications for the academic and social-emotional development of children, and provides recommendations for professionals interested in preventing child trafficking and protecting victims of this heinous crime.