Human trafficking, forced labour and slavery
Human trafficking, forced labour and slavery are serious violations of human rights and, in case of victims under the age of 18, of children’s rights.
The Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings identifies ‘child victim of trafficking’ as any person under the age of 18 who is recruited, transported, transferred, harboured or received for the purpose of exploitation, either within or outside a country. In some cases, children are tricked into trafficking with promises of schooling and travel; in others, their impoverished families turn them over for a cash reward. The majority of victims are girls trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation, including the production of child abuse material, but this form of trafficking affects boys as well. Children are also subjected to trafficking for the purposes of forced labour, forced begging, forced criminal activities and domestic servitude.
The European Convention on Human Rights prohibits all forms of slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour (Article 4). Servitude is an aggravated form of compulsory labour, when the person is under coercion to perform work that he or she has not offered voluntarily.
Vulnerable groups of children
Although violence against children is not limited to any group or economic class, some children are especially vulnerable to abuse. These include:
- Children in street situations: Children living and working on the streets are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking and exploitation. Street children can still be found in large cities of Europe, and their numbers are growing due to unemployment, poverty and migration.
- Children with disabilities: Although children with disabilities are often targets of abuse, including physical and sexual violence, child protection services repeatedly fail to address their needs properly.
- Children in residential or closed-type institutions: Children in institutions are particularly vulnerable to violence during and after their placement. This vulnerability persists even after young people leave the institution.
- Migrant children: Migrant and asylum-seeking children, especially those who are unaccompanied, are exposed to trafficking or exploitation.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex children: Bullying or cyberbullying motivated by a victim’s perceived sexual orientation, gender identity / expression or sex characteristics can be particularly hurtful due to its repeated nature, and is widespread.
What you can you do?
• Monitor the children you work with and report any possible instances of violence
• Monitor programmes designed to protect children from violence and put pressure on the authorities for improved protective legislation
• Support families through parenting programmes
• Break the silence; speak up about violence you experience or witness
• Challenge the social acceptance of certain kinds of violence
• Raise awareness of violence against children
• Learn to recognise signs of violence
• Mobilise the school and community against bullying
• Teach children how to protect themselves and how report abuse
• Teach children non-violent ways to manage conflict
• Inform yourself about how to report online bullying and hate speech
• Refrain from using violence yourself.