22MOON.COM
You can see the whole Earth from the Moon!

.

.

.

.

Child

trafficking

‘hidden

problem’

August 14th, 2009

ANANOVA

The vast majority of Britons

are unaware of child trafficking

in this country –

and may unknowingly

be making it worse,

campaigners have said.

.

________

.

A study found one in 10

did not believe children were

trafficked into this country,

despite fears that hundreds

are exploited every year.

Although it is difficult to

measure the scale of

the problem,

estimates suggest around

300 children from 52 countries

are trafficked here every year,

with a third forced to work

as sex slaves.

.

.

The survey, commissioned

by The Body Shop,

revealed the public expect

victims to be aged under

10 years old,

when in reality most are

aged 14 or over.

Charity ECPAT warned that

by buying illegal drugs,

pirate DVDs or by giving

money to child beggars,

the public could be handing

money to trafficking gangs.

.

.

ECPAT and The Body Shop

have launched a campaign

to raise awareness of the

problem and money to pay

for prevention projects.

.

.

Jan Buckingham,

values director at The

Body Shop said:

“We partnered with ECPAT

to reveal the true picture on

the real extent of the trafficking

of children and young people

for sexual exploitation.”

“We wanted to help find a

solution to this terrible abuse

of the young and vulnerable.”

“We believe there is hope

and that with public support

and effort we can effect change

on an issue which,

until now,

has been largely hidden

from the world.”

.

.

____

.

.

.