While antitrafficking federal and state policies, service programs, and advocacy efforts have expanded significantly since the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000, little is known about how social work research and practice engage with the distinct vulnerabilities of foreign-national minors subjected to labor trafficking. This scoping review examines existing social work scholarship on labor trafficking of immigrant children and youth. The authors' findings suggest that while human service professionals play a critical role in identifying and supporting trafficked youth-often through schools, healthcare settings, and social service agencies-research remains disproportionately focused on sex trafficking. Although the 12 studies partially addressed child labor trafficking, their primary focus was on domestic child trafficking more generally, often using aggregated data that combined sex and labor trafficking survivors under the broader category of human trafficking. The authors highlight key gaps in research and propose directions for strengthening social work's engagement with labor-trafficked immigrant youth, ensuring more informed and effective responses to their needs.

ABSTRACT Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake (2003) is frequently interpreted as a dystopian critique of biotechnology and corporate capitalism, yet its most politically significant figure — Oryx, a woman whose childhood begins with her sale into sexual exploitation — has received limited critical attention. This article argues that Oryx’s narrative trajectory, from her commodification as a child to her death within the novel’s dystopian power structures, constitutes an anatomy of conditions that render child trafficking systemic. Drawing on feminist literary criticism, postcolonial theory, trauma studies, and Marxist theories of commodification, the study offers a close reading of Oryx’s exploitation within global economic hierarchies. The analysis places this narrative in dialogue with evidence from the Jeffrey Epstein network, revealing mechanisms: targeting vulnerable children, commodifying the human body, conditioning victims into silence, and protecting perpetrators. The article argues that Atwood’s dystopian fiction illuminates patterns of exploitation that legal and political systems have failed to confront.

The research paper focuses on the implications of the development of the Dark Web on sexual offenses, with special emphasis on child sexual exploitation and trafficking. This qualitative study analyzes the Indian legislative framework, which includes the Information Technology (IT) Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO), and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The challenges identified are the lack of legislative measures to address the Dark Web, challenges in law enforcement and forensics, and the jurisdictional challenges. The recommendations include the development of cross-border legislation and technical measures in digital forensics. It also focuses on the role of digital forensic tools and the challenges to civil liberties, along with the importance of public-private partnerships. The study points to the gaps in the Indian legislative framework in comparison with the international standards, with emphasis on the need to achieve better victim-centered outcomes in investigations and the need to address the unique issues associated with the Dark Web.

Human trafficking involving minors constitutes one of the most serious forms of criminal exploitation, given children’s heightened psychological vulnerability and their limited capacity for autonomous and informed decision-making. This article explores the interplay between psychological control and victim vulnerability in the offence of human trafficking, focusing on how these dimensions shape the legal qualification of acts of transportation, transfer and harbouring. From a legal psychology standpoint, such acts should not be viewed solely as physical or logistical conduct, but as processes that actively contribute to psychological domination, social isolation, and the maintenance of exploitative control. Against this background, the article examines how psychological control exercised over minors influences the interpretation of the objective element of the offence and, consequently, the legal classification of trafficking-related acts. Drawing on concepts from developmental psychology, theories of coercive control, and trauma research, vulnerability is conceptualized as a dynamic and situational condition, rooted in age-related cognitive and emotional immaturity, dependency on adults, and increased susceptibility to manipulation. Acts of transportation and transfer are analysed as mechanisms that sever protective social ties and intensify disorientation, thereby reinforcing the minor’s reliance on the trafficker. Harbouring is examined as a strategy of sustained control, characterized by isolation, surveillance, and the normalization of exploitative conditions. By integrating psychological analysis with criminal law reasoning, the article underscores the risk of misinterpreting the objective element of human trafficking when psychological dimensions are overlooked. It is argued that recognizing psychological control as an integral component of trafficking conduct supports a functional interpretation of trafficking acts and justifies the application of aggravating circumstances in cases involving minors. The article concludes that incorporating legal psychology into the assessment of child trafficking enhances judicial understanding of victim behaviour, strengthens legal qualification, and promotes a more effective and victim-centred application of anti-trafficking legislation.

Children on the move in the ECOWAS subregion are part of historical mobility networks shaped by structural poverty, inadequate services, and inequalities. Using the Structural Violence Theory framework, the review examines how economic, social service, and governance policies interact to both create the demand for migration and increase the risks faced by children on the move. The review has three research objectives. Systematic literature review guided by PRISMA. There was an overwhelming response of relevant literature sources. Literature from 1966 to 2025 on child migration, trafficking, displacement, and protection by ECOWAS was collected. Among the 987 sources identified through a literature search of central academic databases and institutional repositories, 56 met the selection criteria. Qualitative analysis was employed to evaluate the robustness of the sources based on their methods. Findings indicate rising levels of children on the move, driven by independent migration from rural areas to cities and cross-border migration along traditional migration routes. Factors such as economic hardship, limited access to quality education, conflict, gender-related labor market conditions, and family dynamics are interconnected and play crucial roles. Children on the move are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, labor dangers, trafficking, and social exclusion. While international, regional, and national frameworks set standards legally, their implementation remains inefficient. Children on the move within ECOWAS are seen as an inevitable result of structural factors rather than isolated incidents. One policy implication of this analysis is to include children on the move within the ECOWAS mobility framework. Additionally, social protection programs for children need to be expanded in countries with high emigration rates. Nurses and allied frontline providers are well-positioned to identify mobility-related risks, deliver trauma-informed, non-discriminatory care, document safeguarding concerns, and activate referral pathways for child protection, psychosocial support, and legal assistance.

3. Bridging the Gaps: Standardizing Child Trafficking Training within Indiana's Juvenile Justice System

Child trafficking and exploitation remain significant public health challenges and human rights violations in the United States (US), where it mainly impacts youth in foster care, unstable housing, and other marginalized communities. Multi-agency and collective responses are needed to prevent, identify, and respond to exploitation, but evidence on interventions is fragmented across sectors. For this scoping review, only studies based in the United States were considered regarding multi-agency response to child trafficking and exploitation. Data were extracted and synthesized systematically to explore legislative frameworks, risk factors, collaborative practice, and outcomes. In the US, responses to child trafficking and exploitation are based on extensive federal and state legislation that requires multi-agency approaches from criminal justice, child welfare, health care, education, and community systems; however, implementation and integration across these systems vary considerably. Across studies, risk of trafficking was characterized by intersections of structural, familial, and individual vulnerabilities, with the highest risks in youth experiencing homelessness and LGBTQ+ youth. Common channels of exploitation were through facilitation by a family member, romantic or peer recruitment, and increasingly through online pathways, reinforced by dependency, traumatic bonding, and barriers to exit. Multi-agency collaboration, integrated health and social services, trauma-informed and survivor-centered practices, were associated with improved identification, engagement, and recovery outcomes. However, most collaborations lacked formal infrastructure, sustainable funding, standardized screening methods, consistent training, and evaluation mechanisms, limiting effectiveness and scalability. Together, trauma-informed and survivor-centered multi-agency systems are essential to addressing child trafficking and exploitation beyond enforcement-focused responses. Strengthening formal collaboration structures and addressing underlying structural vulnerabilities are critical for sustained prevention and recovery. Keywords: Child Trafficking, Multi-Agency Collaboration, Exploitation Prevention

Background: An unaccompanied minor (UAM) as a child or adolescent under the age of 18, who is separated from both parents and other relatives and is not being cared for by any other adult. ‘Hidden populations’ (undocumented or in transit), in particular the sub-populations of females, LGBTQ+, and disabled people are at particular risk. The number of migrant children globally has increased by nearly 40% in the past 20 years. Data collection on this cohort is complex, due to lack of identity documents and mediums through which migration of UAMs may occur, including child labour, trafficking and asylum claims. Approach: The aim of this audit was to review the demographics and health outcomes of UAMs attending our inclusion health service. All patients attending our inclusion health services were audited for those classified as unaccompanied minors or disputed minors. Results; 26 UAMs were referred to our inclusion health clinic, two of whom were re-directed due to age (15 years, 11 months being the upper limit for paediatric health care in Ireland). Of the 24 children reviewed, nine were female (37.5%) and 15 male. The median age of children at time of referral to our service was 14.9 years. Countries of origin were as follows; Afghanistan (ten), Nigerian (five), four Somalia (four), Democratic Republic of Congo (two) and South Africa (one), Palestine (one) and Sierra Leone (one). Four children were referred as disputed minors, all of whom has their status re-classified to UAMs following re-assessment. Nutritional screening (vitamin D, Iron and micronutrient deficiency) was within normal limits for the majority of children, though two children had symptoms of active pulmonary tuberculosis on arrival to the state both whom were immediately referred for appropriate treatment. Four children were documented as have been trafficked to the country, though this is most likely under-reported. Implications: UAMs represent a highly vulnerable population with significant mental health needs and at risk of serious infectious disease, child trafficking or abuse, child marriage and threats to life.

Background: Ireland is developing novel approaches to addressing secondary and tertiary medical care needs of children who experience social exclusion and material deprivation. Approach: Fixed-term funding was granted to commence dedicated delivery of equitable inclusion healthcare to paediatric patients in Ireland across four hospital units. Inclusion health (IH) is a method of healthcare delivery that develops integrated care pathways for populations experiencing social exclusion. These pathways are focused on overcoming obstacles to engagement with healthcare services. To avoid developing disparate and disconnected services we have structured a network to continue to progress paediatric inclusion health in Ireland. We share vision, values and goals with the ultimate aim of a strong evidence base to inform care delivery. Incorporating social determinants of health into practice development is crucial to effective service provision as well as familiarity with intersectional population needs and local, national and global socioeconomic issues. We are progressing towards providing sustainable, practical and equitable care pathways that include hospital, community and intra-agency care. In partnership our publicly funded health service, we have created a structure within which to share experience, learning, operational strategies as well as engaging with key national stakeholders e.g. child and family agency, international protection applicant services. Results: Our group includes 6 paediatric consultants with a breadth of subspecialty experience inclusive of neonatology, infectious diseases, child protection and migrant health. Meetings occur regularly online with in-person site visits and combined relevant training (e.g. trauma informed care) as well as relevant targeted education sessions e.g. child trafficking awareness. Strategies and outcomes are shared with our Health Service Executive and Department of Health and work is underway to formalise our governance structure within our post graduate training body as well as with national clinical leads. The most established of our practices have already demonstrated excellent attendance rates and engagement from socially excluded cohorts. We have successfully identified specific at risk cohorts and are tailoring interventions dependant on individual, cultural and population intersectional need. These populations include children who are homeless, children from the Roma and Irish Traveller communities, children who are international protection applicants or refugees and children who are victims of significant intergenerational poverty and deprivation. Implications: The next steps are procurement of permanent funding and to build more dedicated patient partnership through agencies and community representatives through focus groups and formal peer support networks. In line with WHO sustainable development goals we plan to formalise equitable health delivery within our national paediatric hospital services with clear and effective integrated pathways of care. We are also incorporating inclusion health into our medical postgraduate training curriculums.

Forensic significance of the victim’s personality in proceedings on child trafficking in the context of armed conflict. The article examines the forensic significance of the victim in criminal proceedings concerning child trafficking in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine. The author emphasizes that the victim is a key element in both the criminal-law and forensic characterization of the crime, as their social, psychological, age-related, and material characteristics determine the mechanism of the offense, the perpetrator’s motives, the selection of the victim, and the formulation of effective investigative hypotheses. The article analyzes the legal definition of the victim according to Part 1, Article 55 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine and international standards, including the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. Distinctions between the criminal-law, criminal-procedural, and forensic approaches to understanding the victim are examined, as well as the specifics of procedural status and the emergence of the rights and duties of the victim. Special attention is given to children as the most vulnerable category of victims, considering their age, social, and legal characteristics, as well as the specifics of abduction, exploitation, and trafficking under wartime conditions. Analysis of criminal proceedings indicates that entries in the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations concerning child trafficking are mostly related to sexual and labor exploitation. The study highlights the high level of latent crimes, the transnational nature of illegal child transfers, the use of complex exploitation schemes, and digital technologies for coordinating criminal activity. It is concluded that effective investigation of these offenses requires a comprehensive approach that combines forensic methods with international legal mechanisms, inter-agency coordination, and specialized measures for child protection. The results of the study may be applied in criminological and forensic research, law enforcement practice, and legislative regulation in combating human and child trafficking.

ABSTRACT Child trafficking violates the rights of children, resulting in serious physical, psychological, and social harm. Despite its prevalence, internal child trafficking has received little attention. While past research has focused on broader social, economic, and political drivers, there is a major gap in understanding of how individual and community-level factors influence prevention measures. The main purpose of this study was to explore the intention to engage in preventive practices and their influencing factors. A mixed-method study was conducted with 448 randomly selected residents of Wolaita Sodo town using a systematic random sampling procedure. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were employed to analyze quantitative data, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The results showed that attitudes toward preventive practice, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted intentions and practices. Moreover, the study indicated that educational and socioeconomic status influence intention and practice, while gender and years of residence showed no significant effect. The study reveals that subjective norms and intentions influence preventive practices, shaped by culture and economic factors. General attitudes and perceived control were less influential, and improving community engagement through culturally sensitive, anonymous reporting is a key area for future intervention.

235. Bridging the Gaps: Standardizing Child Trafficking Training within Indiana's Juvenile Justice System

The rights of children in India have evolved through a framework of constitutional provision, legislative enactments and international conventions. The Constitution of India guarantees several fundaments rights to children, such as the right to education, protection from hazardous employment and protection from exploitation and abuse. The various laws including the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 collectively form the legal backbone for safeguarding children’s rights in the country. Implementation of child rights in India facing significant challenges. Most of issues such as child labour, child trafficking, child marriage, malnutrition and access to quality education remain prevalent in various regions. The disparity between legal rights and ground realities reflects the need for more effective policy execution, awareness and community engagement. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal protections for children in India, evaluate the gaps in their implementation and suggest some measures to strengthen child rights in the context of social- legal aspect.

ABSTRACT Using the Social Ecological Model (SEM), this study examined factors contributing to children’s vulnerability to trafficking in Sierra Leone. Understanding these factors is critical for designing effective, multi-level interventions. We analyzed qualitative data from a mixed-methods prevalence estimation study (2020–2021) conducted in trafficking hotspot regions. Data included in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with survivors, caregivers, community members, and key informants. Using a comparative thematic analysis, we found that structural-, social-, and individual-level factors intersect to increase children’s vulnerability. Structural drivers included widespread poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, and a disconnect between child protection policies and the communities’ capacity to implement them. At the social level, the traditional practice of menpikin (customary fostering) revealed themes of family obligation and labor expectations, particularly for girls. Gender norms also influenced expectations around obedience and work. At the individual level, vulnerability was heightened in single-parent, polygamous, and orphaned households, with additional risks arising from patriarchal dynamics, conflict, and domestic violence. Findings underscore the need to address all social ecological levels when developing interventions. They also highlight that vulnerability is not static but a dynamic process – emphasizing the need for holistic, context-specific strategies to prevent trafficking and protect at-risk children.

ABSTRACT Human trafficking of women and children (HTWC) has always been a global concern and a persistent social issue in China. But feminist critiques of HTWC’s media representations are insufficient in understanding the underlying gendered power dynamics and ideologies, especially in non-Western, local socio-political contexts. Drawing on the anthropological notion of “transforming patriarchal configurations,” which focuses on the interplay between gender and generational inequalities, this study takes China’s state media as a critical and illustrative case. It systematically explores how HTWC’s representations engage with patriarchal values embedded in Chinese society. This study analyzes 117 news articles from People’s Daily (2011–2024) with critical discourse analysis and content analysis. The findings reveal a nuanced picture. The ambivalent subordinations between society, families, and individuals reframe personal suffering as collective tragedies for families and society. Structural causes like gender inequality are systematically downplayed in favor of discourses prioritizing patriarchal familial values and social order, echoing the state’s intent to preserve existing patriarchal family structures and maintain social stability, thereby legitimizing the very gendered hierarchies that potentially exacerbate HTWC. This study contributes to understanding how state media’s discourses shape patriarchal configurations and offers insights into media representation research of HTWC and gender violence more broadly.

ABSTRACT This article presents the findings of a small‐scale qualitative study exploring the experiences of Foster Carers looking after unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children (UASC) who are identified or suspected victims of child trafficking (‘UASTC’—unaccompanied asylum‐seeking and trafficked children). Through in‐depth interviews with six fostering families and one specialist Social Worker, key themes include a lack of specialist training and support from skilled Social Work professionals, the significance of the role of the Foster Carer in the identification and management of risk, the challenges of supporting children through the asylum process, and the resulting emotional toll on Foster Carers. Notwithstanding the challenges encountered, Foster Carers derived a sense of fulfilment from the role. The study's findings should be read cautiously due to the small sample size and regional focus. Despite this, resulting considerations for fostering agencies could include exploring specialised care pathways for UASTC that integrate trauma‐informed support, offering reflective supervision and bespoke training for carers and professionals, and providing access to peer support networks. Recommendations for future research include explorations of the first‐hand experiences of UASTC and the variety of placements they inhabit.

Abstract In China, child trafficking remains a critical public safety issue that undermines family harmony and social stability. However, the various factors contributing to child trafficking at the origin have not been thoroughly investigated due to data scarcity. To address this gap, this study utilized a database from a public welfare website dedicated to missing persons to collect 9016 child trafficking cases recorded between 1949 and 2022 in Southwest China. We then employed the Local Moran’s I spatial statistic to identify spatial clusters of child trafficking. The stepwise regression model was employed to examine the association between socioeconomic, demographic, and policy factors and child trafficking in the origin areas. The results indicated that prior to 1985, child trafficking exhibited spatial clustering in the adjacent regions of Sichuan and Chongqing. Subsequently, an intense spatial clustering emerged in the adjacent regions of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Chongqing. Large income disparities and high unemployment rates were the direct factors contributing to child trafficking. This issue was exacerbated by low education levels. Families with more children faced a higher risk of child trafficking due to lower levels of guardianship. Diverse festivals created more opportunities for child trafficking to take place. Additionally, the impact of the one-child policy on child trafficking was prominent during a specific period. Therefore, authorities should comprehensively consider these factors to formulate strategies and reduce child trafficking.

ABSTRACT This study, based on 15 in-depth interviews with professionals from public and third-sector organizations in Catalonia (Spain), examines cross-border trafficking affecting unaccompanied minors, from recruitment in their countries of origin to exploitation in the destination country. The findings reveal that most detected victims are adolescent girls from Sub-Saharan Africa, deceived by acquaintances with false promises and later subjected to sexual exploitation by unknown individuals. Through analysis of their trafficking trajectories, the study seeks to deepen understanding of the phenomenon and to strengthen institutional responses for its early detection.

ABSTRACT Recent scholarship increasingly highlights the intersection of forced marriage and human trafficking, with child marriage often classified as a form of forced marriage because minors cannot provide valid consent to a marital union. This framing has fostered a prevailing narrative that child marriage inherently constitutes or precipitates child trafficking, yet little attention has been paid to its implications. Through an analysis of Vietnamese court decisions involving crossborder child marriages, this paper demonstrates that presuming an intrinsic link between child marriage and trafficking is problematic when exploitative purpose is absent and shows how judicial decisions shaped by this perspective can result in disproportionality. By offering a global reconceptualization of the relationship between child marriage and trafficking and by proposing targeted legal and policy reforms within Vietnam’s domestic framework, the paper contributes to the global scholarship on human trafficking and forced marriage and suggests more context-sensitive approaches in both international and national contexts.

Young refugees are at risk for human trafficking throughout their migration journey. Unaccompanied minor refugees (UMRs) experience trauma in their home country, during their smuggling experience, and in host countries. Additionally, governments’ refugee and asylum laws and interconnected policies create slow violence , that is, gradual and cannot be traced to a single entity. We explored how prior trauma coupled with Swedish policies and laws exacted a slow violence on UMRs. We analyzed UMRs’ narratives ( n = 7) and surveys ( n = 18) and accounts from the helping network ( n = 19) for trauma at each phase. Our results indicated that some UMRs experience trauma similar to the risk factors for child trafficking along with other trauma and experience new risks created by asylum policies and laws. We provided suggestions to governments to mitigate trafficking risk for newly arrived UMR groups, especially those with cumulative trauma and high risk for human trafficking.