Trafficked children and child protection systems in the European Union

ABSTRACT

Child trafficking is a significant social problem across the European Union (EU). A discourse has emerged of state services failing trafficked children, who are portrayed as especially vulnerable. Less attention is paid to the socio-political conditions within the EU that result in exclusion. Such exclusion adds to the situational vulnerability that many children on the move experience and it may lead to exploitation. This paper is based on a review of 20 multi-national European Commission funded projects about child trafficking. The projects addressed the child trafficking priorities outlined in the EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy [(2012). Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012–2016, COM (2012) 286, final. Retrieved from http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52012DC0286&from=EN]. Projects were reviewed via in-depth reading. Protective services for children in origin, transit and host countries contribute to the conditions that sustain child trafficking. Systems do not have the capacity to manage the consequences of globalisation. Consequently, exclusionary criteria are applied on the basis of gender, form of exploitation and ethnicity. In this review, being an EU citizen did not result in any guarantees of protection. Better protection requires commitment and investment in preventative programmes.

KEYWORDS:

• Child trafficking
• child protection
• children on the move
• European Union

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Emma Palmer is a lecturer in Social Work at Lancaster University and a registered social worker. With a background in children and family social work, Emma principally researches on child sexual abuse, including child trafficking, child sexual exploitation and online child sexual abuse.

ORCID

Emma Palmer http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5830-657X

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Commission under Grant HOME/2014/ISFP/PR/THBX/0052.