Child sex trafficking and exploitation are two strongly interlinked crimes and considered as two of the worst forms of violence children face. Trafficking is the process of making a child available for exploitation.
During the process of trafficking and exploitation, children suffer sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect by the hands of traffickers and exploiters. Therefore, child victims of trafficking and exploitation are victims of multiple forms of abuse that often take place over a period of time.
However, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services and Save the Children has found that many child victims of trafficking living in childcare institutions have been identified by law enforcement agencies only as victims of sexual abuse and rape.
The complex nature of trafficking renders it often difficult to detect, as it requires investigations and collection of evidence of a crime that may have a long history, involving many parties.
The subsequent result has many implications. On the one hand, the traffickers are rarely caught.
On the other hand, the child victim who is not recognized as a victim of trafficking will not receive the support he or she critically needs to cope and recover from the trauma and associated risk factors they live with.
The State Child Protection system in Sri Lanka is governed by archaic colonial laws that have not moved forward with the times, despite many attempts to revise and revive them.
The result has been systemic unresponsiveness to the growing evidence of mental health and psychosocial issues child victims of violence face, and the nature of support they need in order to recover.
The current systemic response for the care and protection of child victims of trafficking is guided by the Children and Young Persons Ordinance (CYPO) (1939).
Our work with child survivors of trafficking indicate serious and complex mental health concerns among children, aggravated by extended periods of neglected specialist mental health support.
What might work to tackle these issues?
Develop and implement a Standard Operating Procedure for investigations pertaining to cases of child trafficking and exploitation
Use Police powers to detain suspects up to 72 hours and thereafter where necessary, up to 15 days with permission from Magistrate.
Support child victims to cope and deal with trauma
Institutionalise mental health and psychosocial support initiated through a mental health assessment for every child victi violence by qualified mental health practitioners.
Probation and Child Protection Officers to use the mental health assessment of the child victim to plan and provide access to mental health and psychosocial support to the child.
Prevent child trafficking and exploitation
Technically and financially strengthen child protection case management mechanisms for early detection and prevention of risks before they escalate to violence.
Target vulnerable families through social protection schemes who are at risk of compromising their children’s protection for their survival.
By Buddhini Withana,
Senior Technical Advisor, Child
Protection, Save the Children