Child trafficking in Europe: What is the paediatrician’s role?
Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
European journal of pediatrics
Abstract
Child trafficking is among the most lucrative criminal activities in the world and growing rapidly. Poverty, natural disasters, armed
conflicts and, in particular, migration put vulnerable children at high risk of trafficking. Accurate statistics on child trafficking are
not available due to its illegal nature. Moreover, trafficking may not be consistently recorded and reported by European countries,
mainly because of different perceptions as to who is considered a victim of trafficking. Around 4000–5000 children were identified
as presumed victims of trafficking in European Union countriesfrom 2013 to 2014; this is an underestimate of the problem because
many victims go unrecognised. Trafficking is linked with issues, such as forced marriage, begging, labour or domestic servitude,
slavery and prostitution as well as sexual abuse and child pornography. It may also involve the use of children as soldiers or for
criminal activities, such as theft and drug smuggling. Child trafficking also involves the removal of organs and the selling neonates,
infants, and children for adoption. Child victims of trafficking should be promptly identified in order to provide them with the
necessary care as well as to prosecute the traffickers and stop their illegal activity. Healthcare professionals should be appropriately
trained to keep a careful eye out for any signs of trafficking in children.
Conclusion: The European Academy of Paediatrics calls on our governments, intergovernmental organisations, paediatricians,
and healthcare professionals to collaborate so as to improve the identification and healthcare of victims and to contribute to the
disbanding and prosecution of child traffickers by reporting such situations.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
physicians, assessment, child sex trafficking, Europe, International Resources, identification
Citation
Hadjipanayis, A., Crawley, F. P., Stiris, T., Neubauer, D., & Michaud, P. A. (2018). Child trafficking in Europe: What is the paediatrician’s role?. European journal of pediatrics, 1-5.