The Impact of COVID-19 on Sex Trafficking and CSAM
We have already described how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minorities and underserved populations across the globe. A difficult topic to highlight is that of sex trafficking, particularly when it involves minors. Unfortunately, the pandemic has brought together strong factors that partially explain a recent rise in sex trafficking and exploitation that is predicted to continue.
It is important to distinguish between sex trafficking, which involves a commercial sex act, and Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), which involves a visual depiction of a sexual act with a minor. Both are illegal in the US and in many other countries. As is the case with many of the topics surrounding modern slavery and trafficking, CSAM is hard to measure. Europol has identified the following indicators to gage trends: 1) referrals from national organizations, 2) attempts to access illegal websites, 3) number of reports to hotlines or institutions, 4) volume on online forums on CSAM , 5) conversations on forums in “dark web”, 6) number of IP’s from which CSAM has been downloaded relative to other years.
Risk Factors
COVID-19 has increased the risk for sex trafficking and CSAM. On one hand, we have unmet financial needs amidst a global health and financial crisis coupled with lockdown measures that mean more children are at home or not attending school. On the other hand, we have criminal actors that are adapting to the pandemic and shifting their activities towards sex trafficking and online sexual exploitation due to travel restrictions.
As livelihoods dwindle and incomes disappear, more people will be vulnerable to exploitation and abusive working conditions. In some contexts, this may also catalyze the sale of children for sex trafficking. Increasing online presence by children has been capitalized by offenders that have increased their recruitment efforts online.
Additionally, shelter in place rules and lockdowns have often shut down entire school districts that have made the move to online or remote education. This poses significant equity challenges (access to a stable internet connection or access to electricity to begin with) and can increase the risk for online sexual exploitation of children that are spending more time at home. Parents that are working remotely may also not be able to supervise their children and keep track of their internet access.
For people that were already under trafficking conditions, the lockdowns and confinement increase their isolation and make identification harder. Organizations that were dedicated to supporting them may be prioritizing COVID-19 relief or reducing the availability of in-person consultations and assistance. This is especially critical in the case of shelters, which have suspended services or entirely closed down.
What is being done on the ground?
The widespread use of the internet to advertise, solicit, and recruit people for CSAM and sex trafficking means that responses require collaboration and cooperation between states. There are several multi stakeholder initiatives that are broadly dedicated to this topic. For example, WePROTECT brings together governments, civil society organizations and companies in the fight against CSAM. In the US, there are multiple organizations that are working to support survivors and implementing preventive programs.
More work needs to be done in collecting data on the effectiveness of these programs and identifying best practices.
A step in this direction is the work that the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery is doing in Maharashtra, India to identify current conditions that catalyze CSAM and provide specific recommendations to deter both traffickers and buyers from engaging in this behavior.
On the other hand, recent conspiracy theories that have taken hold of certain online forums are counterproductive and do not contribute to addressing trafficking. If anything, they spread misinformation and confuse the general public. In the US, QAnon, a notable alt-right group that has spread conspiracy theories around leaders of the Democratic party, the Black Lives Matter movement, and others, has recently used the #savethechildren tag to spread false claims on trafficking and sexual exploitation. By relying on hashtags that bring together a large audience, QAnon sought to shift the conversation and insert their own fringe theories on who is involved in trafficking minors in the US. This, at its turn, flooded hotlines with false claims and allegations and forced leading organizations to put out clarifying statements in an attempt to reduce the damage that had already been done. The use by QAnon of anti-human trafficking language hurts the movement and does not further its goals.
Steps Moving Forward
As the pandemic drags on and school closures continue to take place around the world, it is more important than ever that stakeholders are informed on how CSAM operates, and that programs designed to support survivors stay in place and adapt to changing circumstances. What follows is a brief example of concrete actions that can be taken:
For policymakers
- Prioritize funding for housing, especially for vulnerable populations housing insecurity is a key driver for trafficking.
- Effectively identify victims of sexual exploitation and train law enforcement personnel (LEP) accordingly
- Uphold the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
- Ensure equal protection under the law for sex workers and guarantee access to healthcare
For parents, teachers, and those in mentorship positions around children:
- Educate yourself on trafficking and CSAM
- Share online safety tips with children and youth around you
- Reinforce messages that the child is not at fault
- If you do come across CSAM, report it
Polaris put together 20 actions for combating trafficking in 2020 that can help those that are interested in this topic get started.
If you are in the United States and believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking, call the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1–888–373–7888 or report an emergency to law enforcement by calling 911. Trafficking victims, whether or not U.S. citizens, are eligible for services and immigration assistance.
