Worldwide
Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in our world today. The majority of victims are those who are most vulnerable: children. This is especially true of children found in poverty and who lack education, government status, or are orphaned. Children are often recruited using coercion, deception, fraud, or outright abduction. Threats, violence, and economic leverage often force a child to consent to this form of exploitation.
Thailand
Known as the sex tourism capital of the world, Thailand reached this status with major help from the United States. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Department of Defense contracted with the Thai government to provide “Recreation & Relaxation” for U.S. soldiers. Thai prostitution was organized and expanded into a major industry. Today, sex tourism is a huge source of income for Thailand but it is not the only form of prostitution that exists in Thailand, as Thai men are themselves frequent patrons in the industry as well.
Thailand is a significant source, destination, and transit country in the trafficking of children for sexual purposes. With Burma to the north and Cambodia and Laos to the east, many children are trafficked into Thailand or are fleeing from political unrest, military genocide, or other natural disasters in their homelands. Thailand, however, has its own share of problems. Many villages in the north and northeast are seen as high-risk areas and breeding grounds for children who fall into prostitution. The sex industry gains its foothold through poverty, lack of education, and poor social conditions. Many children are also pressured by family members to contribute to the household income, which, in effect, helps supply the sex trade industry’s insatiable hunger for children.