Press Release

Report highlights vulnerable children at risk

The US State Department 2012 Trafficking in Persons (TIPs) Report that has just released points to areas of concern regarding the sexual exploitation of children in New Zealand.

The Report states that New Zealand is a source country for underage girls subjected to internal sex trafficking, says the latest US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report just released.

ECPAT Child ALERT Director Alan Bell says “This should not come as a surprise. There have been reports on a reasonably regular basis of underage children being prostituted. The Police are on constant alert to curb this and only recently identified further cases occurring in Auckland. There is even more anecdotal evidence available to those engaged in this area but due to the covert nature of the activity it is hard to get a timely and effective intervention.”

In describing the problem the Report continues “There are a small number of girls and boys, often of Maori or Pacific Islander descent, are trafficked within New Zealand to engage in street prostitution while some are victims of gang-controlled trafficking rings.”

“The question we should be asking is why is this happening and why children are being exploited in this manner. Whilst law enforcement and government action is essential this will not address the underlying cause on its own.” Says Bell. “Primarily they are there because there is a demand from males to purchase sex with minors. If this was addressed then there would be less demand and therefore a reduced supply of child victims. Secondary factors such as family dysfunction, violence, substance abuse and poverty all contribute but without demand even these on their own would not sustain child prostitution.”

The TIPs Report is published annually and is widely referenced around the world. New Zealand is ranked in Tier 1 which is the tier that demonstrates the highest level of compliance to combat people trafficking.

Bell says “The Report serves a purpose in highlighting areas that need attention and thus makes a contribution to protecting children from sexual exploitation by creating debate and prompting scrutiny and action. As such it is a useful tool even though New Zealanders should already be aware of the country’s on-going dismal record in caring for our children.”

ECPAT Child ALERT is a registered charitable trust working to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.
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