For children, issues related to sexual abuse, physical abuse, family disintegration, school abandonment, teenage pregnancy, homelessness, gang participation and drug use appeared to combine with economic need (of the child and of his/her caretakers) to create a risk of being trafficked. Homosexuality, transvestitism and transexuality among males are also risk factors. The majority of young women in prostitution in Guatemala had been sexually abused by family members with their first sexual contact occurring between the ages of 8 and 11.
In Honduras, a survey of 100 children being sexually exploited showed
that 42% had their first sexual relations between 12 and 13. 50% of the
children in the study were victims of sexual violence between 10 and
13 years old.
A sample of 166 women and minors in prostitution in Belize revealed
that the majority had their first sexual experience between the ages of
13 and 15.
A study in Panama focused on victims of child sexual exploitation
showed that "around 50% of interviewees fled their homes, due to
different abuses".
In Costa Rica, a recent survey of 100 children in situations of sexual
exploitation indicated that 55% of girls interviewed in the capital San
Jose and 50% of girls in the port city of Limon were victims of sexual
abuse prior to the age of twelve.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of these issues remain
unattended. Child abuse and family disintegration are under-prioritized
areas in government attention. Legal sanction and protection measures
are generally ineffective and social services for victims are nascent. In
several of the countries studied, complaints about the exceedingly poor
functioning of child welfare agencies were common.
Immediate
protection measures for children are often unavailable due to limited
working hours and the absence of 24-hour shelters; counseling and
rehabilitation programs are ill equipped and understaffed; and treatment
is often generalized without considering the particular needs of the
child.
Relating to Outside Circumstances
Numerous external conditions also contribute to an
environment conducive to sex trafficking. Interviewees commonly
credited trafficking to the existence of gender discrimination, prevalent
attitudes which objectify children, weak immigration controls,
corruption and the impact of globalization policies. The demand for
sexual services and the existence of trafficking networks are elements
that will be explored later.
Trafficking and migration
Traffickers are keenly aware of the immigration policies,
legislation, and practices, often operating through legal processes for
illicit purposes. Police and immigration authorities, who function
jointly along international borders in the region, recognize that sex
trafficking occurs. In interviews, authorities pointed to several
obstacles that inhibit their capacity to combat trafficking, including the
existence of vast unmonitored border areas, lack of adequate personnel,
lack of computerization or efficient information sharing systems, lack
of specialized training, and corruption.
Many individuals consulted also mentioned the CA-4 Plan as a
contributing factor to the rise in trafficking activity. This agreement
revolutionized movement between its participating states: Nicaragua,
Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Under the plan, an adult
national of any of the four countries can remain in one of the other
countries for a period of 90 days before having to depart or seek
permission to remain. A simple identification card, rather than a
passport, is used to pass across borders. For intra regional trafficking,
this liberalized movement allows traffickers and their victims to travel
undetected.